Jackson Junior 12: The Doctors Dance
by drgemini86
Summary: The Doctor shows Daniel the wonders of the Universe while House invites Sam to a special event. Meanwhile separated, the Jacksons each learn some important lessons about life and love. Sequel to One More Time. HouseAtlantisWhoTorchwood crossover SamDaniel
1. Rift

_**Jackson Junior: The Doctors Dance**__****_

Summary: _The Doctor shows Daniel the wonders of the Universe, while House invites Sam to a special event. Meanwhile, separated, the Jacksons each learn some important lessons about life and love. Sequel to One More Time. HouseAtlantisWhoTorchwood crossover. SamDaniel, CamVala, etc_

_**Pairings: **__SamDaniel, CamVala, Teal'cIsh'ta, JonasCarolyn, JackSara, miniJackHailey, CassieOC, ChaseCameron, CameronWilson, HouseStacy (-ish), HouseCuddy, ShWeir, McCarson, Lornifer, SamTen (-ish), CaptainJackAnything_

_**Rating: **__T_

_**Crossover: **__House M.D., Stargate: Atlantis, Doctor Who (ten)_

_**Category: **__Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **__Action/Adventure, Angst, A/U, Crossover, Drama, Family-focussed, Friendship, Humour, Hurt/Comfort, PWP, Relationship-focussed, Romance-focussed, Sci-fi, SongFic, Thoughts, Torture, Tragedy_

_**Warnings: **__Violence, language, maybe some sex... and the use of a country boy stereotype... hopefully___

_**Spoilers: **__Seasons 1-10 of SG-1, the films, maybe a little of Atlantis; seasons 1-4 of House, seasons 1-4 of Doctor Who, Torchwood, and the Jackson Junior series_

_**Series: **__12 of...? Preceded by Jackson Junior: One More Time_

_**Timeline: **__Season 17 (2014)_

_**Reviews: **__Yes please! Reviews are great. They've helped shape not only the stories in this series, but other stories too. Thank you so much guys... you're amazing._

0o0o0o0o0o0

"How do you get the outside in?"

Daniel's voice rattled as he held on for dear life in the TARDIS as the ship careered through time and space. The Doctor remarked heatedly as he held on too, hammering a part of the console with a little more violence than was necessary,

"You know... each time you ask me that, I keep telling you that I've only ever told one person that secret along with another big secret. Unless your name's suddenly Samantha Carter-Jackson this time around, my lips are sealed, mon Archaeologist."

Suddenly the ship came to a stop, everything still. As Daniel struggled to his feet, looking at the Time Lord with a hint of anger in his eyes, the Doctor trotted off to the door. He then turned and said as though he was talking to a child,

"Now, I'm going to pop off to see a friend of mine." He pointed at him. "You are going to stay here until I get back. No making trouble with the locals again... is that clear?"

Daniel rolled his eyes, retorting, "What am I, twelve?"

"Well, you might as well have been from what I've seen of your behaviour, idiot." The Doctor beamed. "Allons-y!" He paused. "Wait, that's not right because _you're_ not coming with me." The Time Lord gloated.

Daniel shot him a scathing look. "Just go."

"Fine. Toodles." The Doctor waved and left as Daniel silently brooded, wondering whether the Ancients would mind if he killed the Time Lord then and there. Sighing, he reached into his pocket for the St Christopher and rings that Sam had given back to him until he could learn to trust her.

He shook his head and sighed. He'd been a fool. Of course he trusted her. He just didn't trust the Doctor. He suddenly glanced up. Speaking of trusting the man from Gallifrey, where were they? Had the Doctor popped back to make moves on Sam, or gone to the future to do so? Who was he referring to as his friend? Why wouldn't he let him leave the TARDIS this time? Curiosity and anger rose in him again and he returned the St Christopher and rings to the pocket of his jeans before going to the doors, wondering too why the Doctor refused to carry weapons, necessitating the Archaeologist to leave behind various items of standard issue weaponry, such as a zat which he had often thought of since... not because of the many close calls he had had already but to silence the Doctor during particularly verbose spells.

Feeling rather vulnerable, despite his powers, he slowly opened the door, half of him expecting to see the gateroom of the SGC or even his lounge back home, when he paused in confusion on seeing bright sunlight. As he peeked out, he saw tall capped metallic towers with water cascading down them.

Which world were they on?

Why did it look familiar?

Slipping out completely, the doors closing behind him, he stared at his surroundings, seeing a waterfront in the distance, and looming to his left, a huge dark building, the construction made from black slate with, confusingly, an English inscription appearing to be slotted together with another language which rang loud alarm bells in his head... and not just because of the fact that the TARDIS couldn't apparently translate it in his head.

"_In these stones horizons sing."_

"_Creu Gwir Fel Gwydr o Ffwrnais Awen..."_

He frowned as he stared at the lettering, and then it hit him. Just as he realised what language it was, he translated it, whispering the words with a bemused expression,

"_Creating truth like glass from the furnace of inspiration._"

He looked even more confused as he slowly recognised the Wales Millennium Centre, wondering why the Doctor had gone to the capital city of Wales, of all places... not that there was anything wrong with Cardiff... it was just the principle... a ship that could travel anywhere in time and space... and he'd gone to Cardiff.

He murmured to himself as he stared around himself once again, remembering something Sam had mentioned to him not long after their wedding, "I wonder where Sam's cousin lives." His wondrous expression faded into one of wistfulness on remembering just why he was with the Doctor, and someone else connected to Sam was the last thing he wanted to see, and vice versa.

He was about to return to the TARDIS, not knowing where the Doctor had gone, and knowing all too well that the Time Lord would quite happily leave him behind, when the sky began to darken. He stopped in his tracks, seeing clouds amassing above the ship as the TARDIS emitted a white energy resembling forks of lightning shot up into the cloud bank.

Behind him, the pavement cracked towards him as he heard people screaming as his surroundings quaked. Staring at everything in confusion for a moment, he closed his eyes, his arms at his side. What he felt disturbed him to the core.

He could feel the Earth spin on its journey through space. But that wasn't the worst thing. The worst was that he could feel Earth being pulled apart at ancient seams, hear her groans, and glowing tears ran down his cheeks as he began to feel the pain. Within the fissure, he could see in his mind the memories of lost lives, melancholy faces aged prematurely, parted from their loved ones for eternity.

Looking up, he tried to make out what was causing the Earth to split, trying to understand as he very faintly heard the Doctor... and Captain Jack shouting at him to get back into the TARDIS. Closing his eyes, the screams of panic dying down as people fled from the scene, he stared straight upwards, at the cause of the rift opening.

White and yellow energy surrounded him and he raised his hands skywards, cold fury in his eyes as he felt a strong, overpowering urge to right wrongs. The light shot into the cloud bank, the cloud exploding into a roaring ball of flame as the previous lightning stopped, the ball cannoning towards the Archaeologist.

As the Doctor and Captain Jack screamed at him to move, Daniel stood firm and the former two watched, aghast and then confused as the ball reached him but instead of engulfing him, it appeared to bend around a translucent white sphere of light before disappearing altogether as an eerie silence fell on their immediate surroundings. Daniel closed his eyes in relief as he fought to get his breath back, feeling the rift healing again.

Feeling a hand on his back, he finally opened his eyes and saw the Doctor, who said with an intense frown, "That was murder. You didn't give them a choice."

Daniel shook his head, looking away from him, feeling a heavy guilt as he considered what he had done. "If you'd felt what I had just then, you would have done the same thing."

Captain Jack remarked, swatting the Doctor, "Oh you... come on, he saves Earth and you still give him a hard time over the General? Yeesh, you are a sore loser."

The Captain then patted Daniel's shoulder and said, looking up, seeing nothing but daylight, "You saved the planet... again. I'd be interested to know how you did it and what you meant about feelings."

The Doctor shot the Captain a testy look. "Leave it."

Captain Jack said, feigning innocence, "Hey, just encouraging the guy, unlike his supposed travel buddy. What did your mother do, forget a birthday?"

The Doctor retorted, "What did _your_ mother do, dress you in her clothes?"

Feeling tired from his previous exertion, and not wanting to hear the rest of the argument as the two men traded insults and barbs, Daniel silently walked back to the TARDIS, wishing that he was home so he could sleep in his bed with his wife in his arms. He groaned as he opened the TARDIS doors, feeling that despite the few adventures he had had with the Doctor since they had begun to travel together, they all paled into insignificance compared to the life that he had had... and failed to appreciate when he had lived it.


	2. A Hard Goodbye

_Italics here are flashbacks._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, back in Colorado, at the Carter-Jackson residence, Sam held Greg over her shoulder, the baby coating it in dribble as he made noises, as she put the other Carter-Jacksons to bed, which proved to be a rather trying task, much like it usually had been previously, but for the past few months she had had to do it by herself. Naturally, her friends had offered and had done so on a few occasions, but she didn't want the children to be used to other people putting them to bed, even if they were family.

The many times that Jacob had offered, the other Ascended members of her family too, she shut them out. She hadn't wanted to but it was easier than baring her soul to them and risking them seeing how much she was hurting.

She was part-Ancient... and a General... and technically the head of SG-1... and the mother of seven children. She should be able to manage, she regularly told herself whenever she felt herself flagging... which was a lot of the time.

Having eventually managed to stop James from climbing over furniture, Cammie from angrily throwing things at her twin, Claire, Jake and Grace from chasing each other all over the first floor and shedding items of clothing in the process... and Dani and Greg from crying, the house was at last quiet as six out of seven Carter-Jackson children went to sleep. Sighing as she went around switching lights off and plugging in a night light for Grace, she looked down at Greg, her shoulder now wet, and she tiredly smiled.

She kissed the top of his fair head and asked as he gurgled, "Now do you want to go to sleep too, young man?"

She rubbed his back and he released a big burp, the General cringing as she felt something slimy and thick on her shoulder, and began to smell the foul odour of regurgitated milk as she made a quick detour to the bathroom to clean the baby's face as well as her shoulder. As she laid him on his back so that he was staring up at the bathroom light with fascinated blue eyes, she muttered as she changed her top and washed her shoulder,

"Your Dad gave me that." Catching sight of the tan line on her ring finger where her wedding band had been, she sighed sadly. "I think that made up for not throwing it at him."

She sat down on the floor and held Greg in her arms as he began to suck his fist, and she asked, extracting the fist as she bounced him in her hold, "What do you think? Do you think I was a bit hasty? I could have just braved the storm and held onto him." She smiled as Greg fell asleep, clinging onto the front of her freshly changed top, and she remarked, standing up and leaving the bathroom for his and Dani's room,

"Finally... I wonder where you get your night owl tendencies from."

She placed him in a crib near his twin's, and watched the youngest of her children with a wistful smile. She reached down to smooth their cheeks and left, checking in on the others before returning to her own room, which had felt so cold and empty since Daniel had left, but she had kept sleeping there because it was the first place any of the children ran to when they had nightmares or when they wanted something during the night, and she thought it only right to not change such a big thing.

She sat on the end of the bed, looking thoughtful as she looked down at her bare hand, the tan line a reminder of what she had thrown away. She closed her eyes, replaying the day Daniel had left with the Doctor shortly after their argument in the Sick Bay on Atlantis.

The entire day had been emotionally charged what with the nervousness about the big wedding ceremony especially after she had gone missing before then when Daniel had blown the renegade Genii armada out of existence. Then there had been the arrival of the Doctor which had briefly postponed proceedings.

Never before had she thought she would lose Daniel like that and on such bad terms.

At least, she thought to herself in a vain attempt to console herself, she had had a chance to hug him before he went.

_Daniel stood in front of her, in front of everyone, the TARDIS and the Doctor behind him. He said softly,_

"_Well... I guess... this is it."_

_Tears in her eyes, she said, trying to be brave as she mentally let him go, "It's not permanent, Daniel... it's..." she tried to swallow past a lump in her throat. "I don't want you to go."_

_He hesitantly touched her cheek as he gazed at her, pain in his eyes as he too let her go. "Then why are you pushing me away?"_

"_Because you're pushing me away." She looked down and then up at him again, her anguish growing along with her bitterness. "And besides, you wanted to travel in the TARDIS." She choked on a sob, shaking his hands away when he made to dry her tears. "Maybe you could get a chance to undo everything and make sure that it never happened." She looked him right in the eyes, anger in amongst her turbulent emotions. "But I never would. Ok? Not after everything... I wouldn't do that, because dammit, believe it or not, I was happy... and I was under the impression that you were too."_

_His voice wavering with oncoming tears, he whispered, "I can't leave you. I can't leave our babies."_

"_It's better this way... we both know it. The Doctor explained it. I don't want to go home with you if you still think you're inadequate no matter what I say... if you keep thinking that my eyes are on someone else when they've always been on you. It is for the babies as well... it's going to affect them."_

_He looked at her sceptically. "Oh... and sending me off with the Doctor is supposed to be better for them." They were barely aware of the others quietly moving away as they sensed a brewing argument. "I told you I'm sorry but you won't listen!"_

"_And you won't listen when I tell you that it's for your own good! I mean, for crying out loud, every time the Doctor drops in... you think that he's after me. The only reason that that whole thing happened in the alternate timeline was because you never came back, and you don't need him to tell you that my heart would never be in it... not after you."_

"_You travelled with him!"_

"_You hit him!"_

"_Because!"_

_She shook her head. "Daniel... we can't go home like this, not like this. We agreed after the last time that we wouldn't argue at home again... and we're going to end up having some pretty big ones if earlier was anything to go by."_

_He looked at her, dejected. "So you're going to take some 900 year old hot rod's words over your husband's?"_

_She shot back, sounding emotional, "Would that be the same husband who just tried to change the course of events so that he never descends again?"_

"_Why don't you say it? Why don't you just come out and say that the Doctor's better than me? Maybe you're the one who should be going with him!"_

"_Oh!" She squared up to him as the Doctor looked about ready to escape. "You'd love that wouldn't you? More fuel for your accusations that I love him more than I do you! Get a fucking grip, Daniel!"_

"_Hey, you're the one who took your wedding ring off." He raised his left hand briefly. "At least I had the decency and courtesy to keep mine on."_

_Tears running down her face, she asked, her voice now hushed as she felt the fragments of her heart crumble into dust, "Then why don't you take it off if it's only a matter of courtesy and decency?"_

"_Because. Because I love you and would never push you to go somewhere you didn't want to."_

_She shook her head. "You have... but that's beside the point. If all this has just been for nothing, because you're too polite to tell me that you don't love me and that you've somehow managed to lie to me for seven years, then go. Just go. I don't want to have anything to do with you." She turned away from him, speaking softly. "The pain I especially have had to go through each time you're lost to us..." She looked at him again. "How could you, Daniel?"_

_The Doctor cleared his throat and said, hoping that he wasn't going to be zapped out of existence, "When you're quite finished..."_

_The Jacksons looked at him and then at each other, and Daniel said, looking increasingly sad, "You don't want me around, do you?"_

"_Oh... Daniel Jackson... you drive me insane half the time but I..." her anger somewhat under control, she touched his cheek as she gazed at him, memorising each detail of his face. "... it's like when you were Ascended. It'll be good to have some time apart... we've been really bad just lately... and I don't want to lose you."_

_He placed a hand over the one on his face as he replied earnestly, "I don't want to lose you either, Sam... I love you, but you don't understand."_

_She shook her head. "No, you don't understand that I love you and that you are so very worth it. I want you to believe in yourself, and hopefully, with the Doctor, you'll find yourself again."_

_They hugged, and he whispered hoarsely as he began to cry, closing his eyes as he hid his face in her shoulder, a grim yet painful acceptance settling within him, "Kiss our babies for me."_

_She, crying too, held him tight as she whispered back, "Of course I will." She paused, savouring the embrace, not knowing when she would experience it again. "I wish you'd understand, Daniel... I really wish you did. You're the most wonderful man I've ever known and it hurts me to know that you don't think much of yourself." Her arms around his neck, she looked up at him. "It could do you good. You'll get to know the Doctor better." She smiled briefly when he grimaced. "And we could both do a little thinking, and then decide what to do when you come back."_

_He asked, his ever present fear resurfacing, "Does that mean you won't take your rings back?"_

_She sighed. "Daniel. Let's just not think about the future too much right now, ok? Not this future anyhow."_

_She slowly let him go, maintaining eye contact all the while, seeing the pain and the fear in his eyes, the General feeling utterly evil but determined that this had to happen. He said,_

"_Well then... I guess this is goodbye."_

_She wiped away her tears and eventually offered a weak smile, remembering something he had once told her. "No... au revoir, not goodbye."_

_He smiled too, still looking sad, and he said as he turned to walk straight into the TARDIS with a nod to the Doctor, "Good luck, Samantha Carter. Have a great life."_

_She sniffed, closing her eyes tight as she realised what he had called her, and when she had opened them again, the Doctor was standing before her, looking concerned. He hugged her and she whispered, "Break his legs when he's too stupid to live."_

"_With pleasure." He gazed down at her in his arms. "You take care, ok? Not sure when I'll see you again, but look after yourself, Samantha Jackson." He lowered his voice. "And I promise to knock some sense into him – the travelling should do that, but you know..." His voice suddenly sounded cheerful as she straightened up, drying her tears. "Well, this is it." He gazed at her for a moment and then gently kissed her cheek in an uncharacteristic move. "Say 'hi' to Grace for me... and I'll see you some time soon... hopefully."_

_She returned his kiss, and he said, touching her cheek, "Smile again, Sam. He'll be back... and I might just tell him what happened... you know, explain that we didn't work out because of him. That should lift his spirits... beating a 900 year old Time Lord. If that doesn't, can I come back and let you shoot him?"_

"_I think Jack would want a piece of the action."_

"_I bet he does. So..."_

_Sam smiled again. "Bye Doctor."_

_He beamed at her. "See you around, Samantha."_

_She and a few others at a distance, watched as the Doctor, with a lingering glance at her, entered the TARDIS, the doors closing. As the TARDIS faded noisily from view, she sighed, feeling that it was taking away a huge part of her, and she whispered, hugging herself as she stared at where it had been,_

"_Come back soon."_

Back in the present, the General sighed as she leaned back onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she questioned, not for the first time, whether letting Daniel go had been the wisest decision she'd ever made. Glancing back at his side of the bed, she, despite feeling overwhelmingly tired earlier from another day of cleaning, fixing things, cooking, feeding, bathing, dressing, changing nappies, driving, going to the park and checking homework, not forgetting dealing with a few quibbles at the SGC and Atlantis, left the room to go downstairs.

Downstairs she found the Ascended version of James sat on a kitchen worktop, and she said, maternal instincts taking over, "Jimmy, get off."

James did, getting a little thrill each time she told him off as he hadn't remembered much of her the first time around, and she asked, sighing as she looked inside the fridge, wondering why James' younger self had put some crayons in there,

"What brings you here?"

"Well... you said for us not to be strangers... even though since Dad number two left, you've been doing an impression of Uncle Jack..."

She turned back to him, feeling bad at what she had done, and he continued, "I just wanted to see you really... and to say that I really do want to be your son again. I mean... I know I am, but you know... I want to live at home with you. Dad's fine with it – in fact he's the one who thought it a good idea. Cameron's a bit moody and confused, but..."

She replied, feeling a confusion of emotions, "There's nothing more that I'd love but you're Ascended."

"Hey, I can be corporeal any time I want to... like the time we busted into the hospital to rescue Dad number two."

"I wish you'd stop calling him that... he's your Dad."

His smile vanished. "He's not _my_ Dad. _My _Dad brought me and Cameron up by himself. He took us to Egypt, he took us travelling... he educated us... all this despite his pain over losing you. Your husband right now isn't him._"_

She shook her head. "James. He's still your Dad... but if you want to disown him, then at least refer to him by his name instead of numbering him."

"It's too weird." He looked down for a moment before continuing brightly, "Anyway. As I was saying..."

She, feeling perturbed at the insight into his thoughts, said with a smile as she touched his cheek, "Of course you can... although we're tight for space. You could have our room... I don't suppose I'll..."

He raised his hands, looking awkward. "Whoa, whoa, hold up. Not gonna do that."

Confused, she asked, "Why not? If you're worried about where..."

"One: it's where you and Dad did all that..." he waved his hands around awkwardly. "... and two: where the heck are you going to sleep? I'm fine... I can sleep in the babies' room... not that I actually need to sleep these days, but it's nice to feel human again."

She hugged him, and he continued, "You need someone... and as you were rude to Grandpa when he dropped in..."

She said as she looked at him, instinctively looking for visual differences despite this version of her son being practically immortal and never likely to age any more, "I didn't mean it... I was angry and annoyed... mostly with myself."

"I know."

They turned to see Jacob in the doorway and she smiled, saying as they hugged, "Dad."

Her father continued with a careworn smile, "You needed space so I didn't bother you again... but I was always there, watching over you and my grandchildren. Do you want me to stay this time?"

She smiled, emotional once again, "I'd like that very much, Dad. I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't be kiddo. You just remind me of your Mom each and every day... God, she was so fiery when she wanted to be."


	3. Beacon

"Well, you see, we've been having some trouble recently with little green men dropping in to extract rift energy."

As Captain Jack, his long Army coat draped over a nearby railing, sat on a step in the TARDIS, the Doctor leaning against a console as Daniel watched them from a seated position on the other side of the console, the Doctor asked, "Any particular species?"

The Captain shook his head, looking perturbed. "No. Cross-species... just these past few months we've had the Sycorax, the Brudyac..."

The Doctor frowned. "Back again?"

"Oh yes. Uh... The Dogon, the Doovari funnily enough..."

The Doctor frowned again in disbelief. "The Doovari? What would they want with rift energy? Their craft are powered by..." he raised an eyebrow. "... sexual energy."

Captain Jack shrugged, looking amused himself. "Don't shoot the messenger, doc. They're probably flagging." He paused, and Daniel opened his mouth to speak but then thought better of it, not knowing how to phrase his question. The Captain, spotting this, said, amused once again,

"Doctor J... it sounds impossible... you have to see it to believe it really." He winked at the now awkward looking Archaeologist, the Doctor saying with a stern expression directed at the Captain,

"Leave it. Moving on..."

The Captain shot him a sheepish smile and continued from where he had left off, "... the Vondrax, the Adipose, the Krillitane, the Goa'uld, the Lucian Alliance, the Racnoss..." the Doctor grimaced. "... the Carrionites..." the Doctor looked stunned.

"Wait, wait... but they use voodoo..."

Captain Jack shrugged. "They're all in on the action. Martha's team discovered that the rift is emitting a multicast signal through subspace."

The Doctor asked, gesturing behind him towards Daniel, "Who did Indy kill?"

Daniel shot him an evil look as the Captain replied, "That was another Adipose ship..."

Daniel asked, feeling more than a little overwhelmed, "What do they want with the... rift?"

The Doctor sighed. "It's a powerful energy source that, if harnessed, can power ships for millennia." He frowned and turned back to face the Captain. "... but why the sudden interest? What's changed?" He paused. "When did Martha find the signal?"

Captain Jack replied, exhaling, "Oh... a few months ago. It appears to be some sort of a beacon, attracting all the scum of the universe. No idea what is or where it's from except that it's from somewhere inside the rift... maybe the rift itself."

The Doctor excitedly turned to face a console, moving controls around frantically as Daniel and the Captain, both bemused, slowly stood up. As they gathered around him, he said excitedly, pointing to a screen in front of him,

"See... that bit there, that represents the energy from the rift... normal spacey-timey wimey stuff." He gestured to another part of the screen. "And this part is the signal you mentioned. Hmm. No wonder you called me in... this calls for a genius."

Captain Jack rolled his eyes at Daniel behind the Doctor's back as the Archaeologist smiled slightly, and the Doctor continued, looking at the Captain, "Oi, I saw that!"

The Time Lord ran out of the TARDIS, followed by an increasingly amused Captain Jack, and a weary Daniel, the Captain remarking, "Oh, only if you'd agree to hang out with us more, Doc..."

0o0o0o0o0o0

"The signal's coming from one specific spot in the rift. Why? Why would it do that?" The Doctor leapt to another part of the TARDIS' console. "Unless that's where..." his face lit up. "Oh yes!"

Captain Jack looked at Daniel questioningly as the Doctor continued rambling animatedly, and Daniel said tiredly, "Yes... he's getting worse."

The Captain nodded at him and said, sitting closer to him in front of the console, "Hey, never got to ask you... what was that out there? You had glowy tears."

Daniel shrugged, looking down at his hands. "I could feel the rift. I could see the faces and I could feel the planet turning. I could feel its pain as the rift widened. I've never felt anything like that before."

"Hmm." Captain Jack looked at the Archaeologist. "... it could be something to do with your Elder powers." He gave Daniel's shoulder a squeeze. "Ignore him... he has issues. You did great out there. You saved the planet." The Captain smiled. "... which has got to be old hat for you by now."

The Doctor, realising that no-one was listening to him any more, stopped and remarked, looking annoyed, "That's right... pay no attention to the man from Gallifrey behind you."

The Captain and the Archaeologist exchanged a slight smile and then looked at the Time Lord. "That's better." He paused. "Right, so... mon Capitaine! I need the logs of all ship activity above Cardiff right before the snatch and grabs started."

Captain Jack nodded, getting a mobile out and speaking into it as Daniel stood up, approaching the Doctor as he asked, looking concerned, "It's another alien?"

"Well, it fits. It looks like someone's shot a plasma beacon into the rift that emits radiation through subspace at a specific frequency. It has to do it through subspace as the rift defies all known laws of time and space... the signal won't transmit easily through free space in those conditions."

The Captain looked up, having closed his mobile. "Ianto's sending the data. You should get it in..."

A series of beeps interrupted him and, as the Doctor looked even more excited as he looked at his console, Captain Jack continued, "... right now." He quickly got up to look over the Doctor's shoulder as the Time Lord looked stunned. The Captain looked at him quizzically and the Doctor replied, sensing what the Captain hadn't vocalised,

"It's... that's impossible."

Daniel stepped forward and asked, "What is?"

Forgetting his enmity with the man, the Doctor pointed to the screen as he beckoned Daniel closer, "See... that shows a Doovari vessel but..." he raised his sonic screwdriver, aiming it at the part of the screen he had indicated as more data flashed up on it. "... the energy signature is just slightly out of sync... and that's why. It's a disguise cloak."

The Captain, worried, asked as he looked at the Doctor again, "Disguising what?"

The Doctor stared grimly at the screen, his jaw clenching. "The Daleks."


	4. Invite

After completing a pile of paperwork which, though important, was not guaranteed to be actually read or used, Sam went on her twice daily walkabout around the base, which usually had the effect of silently reminding some personnel to complete relevant reports or paperwork. On the flip side, it also gave the General sometimes unwanted attention from particularly her scientific colleagues.

As Sam, having surpassed previous levels of confusion and boredom during a caffeine-fuelled briefing by the off-world botanical team's encounter with some healing plants, in which it had taken the botanists over an hour to explain that the foliage was completely useless once exposed to nitrogen, left the briefing room, she came across House.

Smiling slightly as he silently fell into step with her, she asked the Chief Medical Officer of the SGC, noticing and sensing his pensive mood, "How's things?"

He asked, glancing at her, unsure at first, "Do you like weddings?"

Surprised by the question, she asked, frowning but still walking, "Weddings? That's an odd question."

"Questions are usually answered."

She remarked with a brief smile, "Not if you're a Psychologist. What's going on?"

He shrugged, not looking at her. "I've been invited to one next weekend... back in New Jersey. It's Wilson's."

As they walked straight past the Infirmary, she asked, smiling, amused as she glanced at him again, "You're inviting me as your plus one?"

He shrugged again, looking down. "Sure. Sounds good."

She chuckled. "I bet that works on all the girls." Her smile faded and she sighed softly. She glanced at him one more time, seeing and sensing that he had been serious, as much as he had been obscure in his invitation, and she said, patting him on the arm gently before turning down another corridor, leaving a semi-stunned House behind, "I'll think about it."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Later, as Sam finished checking the elder twins' homework as she lie in the grass in her backyard, her other children running around and squealing as Greg and Dani crawled over her, she looked up at the sky with a soft sigh.

She missed him everyday... at even the oddest of times. On some days, she still cooked him breakfast, set his place at the table for that and dinner, as a force of habit. Sometimes she would think things without realising, and then realise that he wasn't there any more to share the little oddities of life with.

With each day grew the feeling, on her part, that she could have tried harder, could have been more understanding towards him, and that perhaps she should have held onto him, even if he had driven her up the wall with his self doubts and recriminations. As she watched her seven children change each day, growing and developing at a continuous rate, she felt guilty for agreeing for him to go with the Doctor while in the meantime, he would, and had, missed everything that she had witnessed in the previous few months.

She looked up on feeling a prodding on her shoulder, to see James kneeling next to her, and he asked, looking sad, "You miss Daddy, don't you?"

She remarked, trying to smile but sounding strained, "What gave you that impression, little man?"

He began to pout as Cammie kneeled next to him. "I miss Daddy too. Is he gonna come back?"

She sniffed, forcing herself not to cry as she looked up at the eldest two of her children. "He's your Daddy – he always comes back."

Cammie said quietly, looking sad as her mother reached up to smooth her hair, "He better. Grandpa said he'd kill him."

0o0o0o0o0o0

The children asleep, Sam took the opportunity to get the kitchen cleaned up. As she scrubbed the cooker top, Jacob, who had wanted to help but had been forced by his strong-willed daughter to sit down, said,

"It could do you good."

She paused, remarking in disbelief, "Wait a second, Dad... but aren't you in the school of thought that looks down at women that go places with men that aren't their husbands?"

He shrugged. "Times change. And besides, you need to get out more." She looked ready to object but he remarked sternly. "The school, the SGC, the park and occasional trips to D.C. do not count."

She went back to giving the cooker a good scrubbing, somewhat harder than she had been doing previously. "It just seems dishonest. Daniel already had problems with me being friends with other men, without adding a further spanner in the works."

"Sam. Come on, the guy's an idiot with trust issues."

She frowned, still scrubbing. "But you actually liked him. Out of all of the men I've been with, he's the only one you liked."

He smiled briefly. "True. Very true in fact, because he's a good man with a whole slew of endearing qualities. It doesn't mean I wouldn't kill him though."

She smiled too. "I know what you mean. I suppose I should be glad though that he isn't the other extreme, with an ego the size of the galaxy... which wouldn't have been surprising, considering."

He watched her in concern from his mandated seat as she frowned, rinsing the cooker top and replacing the burners. "He'll be back."

She shrugged. "He always comes back, Dad. The issue here is whether he'll change, and to be honest, I don't think he will. I know he changed after he Ascended the first time, but..." she grimaced. "I'm not holding my breath. He'll come back... he'll make me feel like the luckiest woman in the Universe, and then he'll be back to his usual self, wondering whether I love the Doctor. And I do. I do love the Doctor, but not in the way that I love Daniel. I thought he'd know that." Her voice trembled with emotion as she stopped working, clutching the edge of the cooker so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. "I thought he'd understand." A worried Jacob got up to hug his daughter as she began to cry. "Out of all the people... ever, he should have been the one to understand. Why didn't he? Why couldn't he?" As her crying intensified, Jacob whispered, disturbed at his daughter's pain,

"Ssshh, Sammy, honey. Ssshhh. He's just an idiot... but you know what? He will work it out... he's not stupid. He won't lose you, and if it came to losing you, he'd fight for you. He'd do anything to keep you."

Older-James walked into the kitchen, looking awkward on seeing his mother crying, and Jacob, having sensed his entrance, glanced up at his ascended grandson, who said softly, "Mom?"

Jacob replied as Sam suddenly looked embarrassed and dried her eyes, her father letting her go, "Your Mom's fine."

Older-James, looking increasingly sad, approached his mother and said as Jacob quietly left the room, "Mom, it's going to be fine."

She sniffed, shaking her head, her eyes on the floor. "I don't know, Junior. I honestly don't know." She met her ascended son's troubled gaze. "I just want you, and your sister to know that whatever happens, I love you... all of you... and I love your Dad. It's just tough."

He pulled her into a hug as she glumly rested her head against his shoulder. "Well, maybe _my_ Dad will have a word with him and give him a good glowy thrashing. Do you want us to track him down?"

She shook her head. "No. Let him come back."

After a long pause, he said as he let her go, looking down at her, "Mom... I know my approval means nothing to you, but go ahead and go to New Jersey. Me and Grandpa will take care of the menagerie. You could do with the break."

She frowned as she looked back up at him. "What makes you think that it wouldn't matter? Of course it does." She smiled. "Thanks. I'll email House later." She asked, "How was Uncle Mark earlier?"

He looked annoyed. "Pretty much the same, although there isn't the added complication of Dad taking his first born to Egypt this time around. Maybe I'm just biased."

She chuckled. "I think you are... although he can come across as a little pretentious sometimes."

"Tell me about it. Anyway, he was pretty cool. I can imagine his face though when you told him about me and Cameron being from when you'd met Dad twenty years ago at a club but didn't know his name, and then you'd had us put up for adoption. I expect that when Dad number two comes back, Uncle Mark will thrash him too."

She sighed softly, remembering the cover story for the ascended Cammie and James, and then she smiled again. She shrugged. "He probably deserves it." She chuckled humourlessly. "Your uncle was more shocked though that I'd never told him about it." She sighed again as she touched his jaw. "For the record, if that had happened, I would never have done that."

He smiled at her. "I know, Mom... that's just something else that makes you the greatest Mom ever." He grimaced as she laughed. "... although don't tell anyone I said that." He smiled once more and clapped his hands. "Come on, Mommy... sit down. I'm getting this kitchen clean."


	5. Ancient Intervention

As the Doctor stared at the screen before him, scared out of his mind, a terrified looking Captain Jack went up to Daniel and kissed him on the forehead, saying, looking as though he had lost all hope, "It was nice knowing you, Doctor J."

Daniel looked back at him, puzzled as the Captain went to kiss the Doctor, and he asked, trying to remember the TV cover story for the Doctor, "But wait... the Daleks? They actually exist?"

The Doctor replied quietly, his eyes eventually moving from the screen to Daniel, the Archaeologist disturbed on seeing and sensing huge swathes of darkness and pain from the Time Lord, "It's a good cover story." He paused, and tried to swallow past his fear but failed. "I'm sorry Daniel, but there is nothing that we can do. The Daleks and most of the Universe are tapping into the energy from the rift like an intergalactic smash and grab. The Daleks know that they can't rule over humanity, and... they've tried... a _lot_, believe me. Look. If enough energy is harnessed from the rift, not only will it power any craft for absolutely ages, the rift itself will expand and quite possibly drop the planet anywhere in space-time and kill you all with the displacement, or... just destroy the whole thing. If we're even more unlucky, it could cause space-time displacement across a wider area... such as the galaxy, and then go on to affect the rest of the Universe in a ripple effect."

Daniel said, defiant, "There must be something!"

The Time Lord smiled wistfully for a moment. "Ah yes. The stories Sam told about you not giving up. I'm afraid this time, mon Archaeologist, we are at an impasse. The Daleks aren't going to go away... but if I let you fight them and something happens, Sam will never forgive me... and I'll never forgive me if the Daleks get their egg whisks on you." The Doctor suddenly looked older as his ever present worries and pain resurfaced, laced with a steely determination as Daniel opened his mouth to object. "Captain Jack and I have to check out Torchwood... stay here." The Doctor nodded at a now grave looking Captain Jack, who nodded back, the two men going to the door, and Daniel ran towards them, sensing something untoward.

"Doctor!"

The Doctor stopped and turned to face him. He said, sorrow in his eyes, before raising his sonic screwdriver, aiming it at Daniel, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Before Daniel could raise his hands in defence, the Doctor activated the screwdriver, and the Archaeologist crumpled to the ground, unconscious. The Doctor left the TARDIS, not looking at Captain Jack before pointing the screwdriver at the ship, the doors shutting before it slowly thrummed out of view.

Captain Jack, his headset suddenly beeping, looked at where the TARDIS had been and patted the Time Lord on the shoulder as the sky once again darkened. "You did the right thing."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel woke up with a start, feeling a strange sensation of being in transit. He found himself near the TARDIS' doors and he ran to the console, angry that the Doctor had sent him away despite him being quite possibly the only way to stop the ships from extracting the rift energy. As he helplessly stared at the array of cranks, knobs, buttons and levers, unsure of what to do, he heard a voice. The Doctor's voice.

"This is Emergency Program One."

He looked up from the console towards the door to see a blue-tinted hologram and he ran towards it, calling,

"Doctor!"

The hologram said, obviously not hearing what Daniel had said as it flickered every so often, "Daniel, for once in your life, listen. This is important. If this message is activated, then it can mean only one thing." Daniel visibly blanched. "We must be in danger... the fatal sort. I'm dead or about to die any second with no chance of escape."

Daniel exclaimed, feeling even more helpless, "No!"

"... and that's ok. I'm an old man... I just hope it's a good death." The Doctor's expression softened from good natured optimism to sadness. "But I promised to look after you, even if that was the last thing I wanted to do. Now, if your genetic make-up hasn't screwed things up in transit, the TARDIS should be taking you home, back to Sam. There are just... so many things that I never told you." His expression grew momentarily stern as he raised his hands briefly. "I'm _not_ Captain Jack though." He sighed. "I do respect you... despite everything, and I can see what Sam sees in you. It's sad... and aggravating that you can't see it, how you just might be worth her love... because I'm definitely not."

Daniel stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell are you talking about?" He then remembered that he was talking to a hologram, and he continued in a sad whisper, turning away, dejected, "You're a better man than me."

"... and I'm not taking an argument on that. It's true... and believe me, that is a lot for _me_ to come out with."

Daniel shouted angrily as he ran back to the console, "Take me back!"

The hologram rolled its eyes. "I bet you're getting defiant and throwing a strop... but it's for the greater good. Emergency Program One means that I'm facing an enemy that should never ever... ever get its hands on the TARDIS or you for that matter. When you get home, let the TARDIS die. Just let it die."

Daniel looked aghast as he stared at the hologram, frozen in shock at the console.

"... leave it somewhere. No-one will notice it, and over the years to come, the world will move on. It's no use to anyone anyway, because it doesn't work without me..." the Doctor rolled his eyes again. "... or you, Sam and those wonderful children of yours... but you don't need it, and it's much safer for everyone if it's just left alone."

The Doctor turned to look right at Daniel, as though he had known where the Archaeologist would stand, his eyes softening with regret. "And when you get home, tell Sam..." he paused. "... tell her..." he paused again and then waved dismissively. "Oh, she knows. But what's more important is that you need to think about what she means to you, because..." his expression darkened. "... you don't want to know what life is like without her. I have to live my life without her now, but you shouldn't... not the one person who made her so happy and made her feel so loved." He smiled sadly. "You're worth it, Daniel. Most definitely. A lot more worth it than I am. Because you know what happens when you're not in her life any more?"

Daniel shook his head, feeling confused as well as upset.

"She never forgets. She talks about you right up 'til..." The Doctor closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened his eyes again he said, suddenly sounding much brighter,

"Anyway. Stop interfering with the TARDIS! If you're not home by now, your Ancient...ness has just sent you spiralling through the cosmos. Seriously. You could be anywhere. Just... just wait there... I'm sure your Ancient friends are watching." As though he was talking to a child, he pointed at Daniel. "... and no, you're not taking the heart of the TARDIS into you again, because forget Sam, _I _will kill you, and I won't take pity."

Daniel shouted, "You can't leave me here!" He helplessly hammered a console. "Take me back!"

"It's been great travelling with you, Daniel. It's refreshing travelling with someone for once who thinks before doing... although I can't say that about your habit of self-sacrificing." He paused. "That's another reason why you're going home... eventually. I can't let you do that. You'll sacrifice yourself for the greater good. I don't care that you're part Ancient and the subject of an Ancient prophecy... it's not your job to do that." The Doctor smiled again. "So... it's all good. Have a great life, Daniel Jackson... and tell Grace I said 'hi'."

Daniel, furious, yelled as the hologram faded from view, "Tell me how to work the TARDIS! For crying out loud! I'm not going home without you!" He was about to raise his hands over the console when he heard another voice, one that took him completely by surprise.

"Daniel."

He looked up in surprise to see a glowing older-Daniel dressed in white stood where the Doctor's hologram had been, the Ascended older version of himself from an alternate timeline continuing, "We need to talk."

Daniel said frantically, looking at the controls before him in desperation, "No, not now! I have to go back to help the Doctor!"

"You're in a time machine, genius."

Daniel, trembling from rage, helplessness and despair, hunched his shoulders over the console and said quietly, "I can't help him. He's out there, facing Daleks and... he sent me back! He sent me back! What use am I if I go back home? He needs me right now!"

Daniel sat on a step, his head in his hands and older-Daniel sat down next to him with a sigh. "He's done it for a reason. In order for you to help him, you have to believe in yourself... and you don't. At the moment, you'd gladly sacrifice yourself in order to destroy the Daleks... which says a lot."

"It does?"

"Yes. Come on." Older-Daniel rolled his eyes. "You've given up, and when did we ever give up so easily?" His expression softened. "I never gave up on my Sam, not after almost twenty years. I always hoped I would be able to save her one day."

Daniel shook his head, feeling the emotional walls that he had built up over the past few months tumble and crumble into dust. "That's different. I would do anything for Sam... you of all people know that."

Older-Daniel replied, staring at him intensely with his clear eyes as he squeezed his hand tightly, "Then do this one thing for her. Believe in yourself... I had those eighteen years to think, and you know what I realised?"

Daniel finally looked at him as he continued, "I was worth her love. I was so worth it... and it was all because of her. Sam made me a better person because of the love she gave." The Ascended Archaeologist shook his head regretfully. "I didn't come back to save her just to lose her again."

Daniel suddenly rushed back to the console. "Love to chat but I've got to save the Doctor." As he raised his hands over the console one more time, older-Daniel stood up and touched his shoulder, saying,

"First... let's take a walk."

Daniel retorted, shaking his head as his hands began to glow, "Dammit, just because you're Ascended now doesn't mean you can ignore the people who need you too!"

Older-Daniel rolled his eyes. "I don't remember being this much of a dick at your age."

"Well, maybe if your memory wasn't too patchy, you wouldn't have lost Sam."

Older-Daniel remarked, his face blank but his eyes alight with fury, "Don't say I didn't warn you, bastard." And with that, Daniel suddenly found himself on his back, grimacing and groaning in pain as a bruise slowly came into fruition on his face. His older self stood over him and said, anger on his face to mask the endless pain,

"If you ever throw that up in my face again, I will kill you. Screw the consequences. Now shut up and come with me."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, in Cardiff, the Doctor arduously worked on Torchwood's computer systems, his sonic screwdriver poked in his mouth. As he lie on the floor, rewiring the mainframe, he said quickly, explaining to a bemused audience of Captain Jack, Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, and what appeared to be a battalion of UNIT soldiers sent over to the Welsh capital from London by the Prime Minister in order to guard the facility,

"The thing is... a clever man like me, I don't give up."

Captain Jack remarked, his arms folded across his chest, an eyebrow going up, "You sent Daniel away."

"Don't interrupt, Captain." The Doctor paused. "That was insurance. Anyway, the thing is... I'm not going down without a fight. We need to know what it is in the rift precisely that's sending out invites to an intergalactic speed party."

Captain Jack smiled at the metaphor, and Gwen piped up in a heavy Welsh accent, frowning in concern, "Sorry, Doctor but won't any attempt to track this beacon get us..." she looked stuck for words as she looked at Ianto next to her, who reworded her thought,

"Won't it make us visible... and thus attract the attention of the Daleks?"

The Doctor paused. "Good point, Ianto Jones... and Gwen Cooper." Ianto and Gwen exchanged concerned looks and then looked at Captain Jack who shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, you see... it's a Catch 22 situation... sort of. If we..." he flinched at a brief outburst of sparks and some electrical crackling nearby. "... wait, the Daleks might..." Suddenly he realised something and then he asked, talking so fast that even Captain Jack was having trouble keeping up.

"Of course!" The Doctor slipped out from underneath the machinery and got up, bounding across the room to a monitoring screen in amongst some UNIT soldiers. He gesticulated wildly as he explained to his increasingly bemused audience,

"The Daleks don't wait. Sontarans wait... they plot and scheme, but the Daleks get on with things! Yes! They make their presence heard and felt. This isn't like the Daleks."

Captain Jack asked, frowning thoughtfully, "What are you saying, Doctor?"

"I'm saying that... perhaps... perhaps..." the Doctor turned back to the monitoring screen, seeing the tracking data of the various ships in a different light. "No. No!" As the others looked confused as well as scared, the Doctor leaped over to another computer that was monitoring the state of the rift. He turned to face his audience again. "They have delusions of grandeur just like the Goa'uld... well, far worse than that even. When the rift is at critical, the weather patterns are going to change... Earth is going to be in for some pretty violent physical changes... and they're going to drop in to offer salvation!"

Captain Jack said, looking perturbed as he stepped forward while Ianto joined the Doctor at the computer, "We have to find the beacon. But how do we get it out?"

"A bubble... similar to a warp bubble in Star Trek. One person goes into the rift..."

The Captain, realising just what the Doctor was proposing, said, shaking his head, "You'll be killed and you won't regenerate!"

The Doctor looked at him gravely. "If it saves Earth, and the Universe by extension, it's my job to do it." He suddenly smiled as he got back to work with a new zeal. "Allons-y!"


	6. Wedding

Sam waited at a hotel bar, dressed in casual clothes as she surveyed her surroundings, a mobile phone to her ear as House was greeted by a group of people, whom she presumed to be the people he had worked with at Princeton Plainsboro. He hadn't mentioned much about them before now, except that his best friend was an Oncologist, and that his former boss appeared to have had perpetual PMS. She put the phone on her shoulder to ask the barman for some Coke, before resuming her conversation.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jimmy. Honestly. If I find that you're here..." she smirked on seeing a glowing pulse on a wall near the bar. "... Not very subtle there. I knew you were there the whole time but I'd look silly talking to a wall. Go back to Grandpa." Her smile faded. "If your Dad were here, he'd trust me. It would be beyond trust..." she shook her head. "Ok, I meant _your _Dad." She paused and raised an eyebrow on seeing a chandelier sparkle a bit more than it was supposed to. "Tell Cammie to go home too... and Dad number three as well. Honestly. You Jacksons. Where's _your _Dad?..." She paused in sceptical surprise on hearing the Ascended James' answer. "On business?" She sighed. "Whatever."

She sighed again and disconnected the phone as she took a sip of her drink, just as House wandered over and sat on the barstool next to hers, ordering scotches for them both on noticing her drink. She rolled her eyes and remarked,

"You're not getting me drunk, House."

He retorted gruffly, "Suit yourself."

He turned to face the rest of the crowd like she had been doing, just as a middle-aged woman with shoulder length dark hair came over to them, holding the hand of a young boy with startling blue eyes, the woman looking as though she was analysing and rating Sam. The General watched the woman, sensing this as she wondered why House hadn't told her that he was romantically involved with someone... even if that fact was immaterial to her presence.

House remarked with a brief smirk, "Couldn't stay away from me, could you?"

The woman shot him a look before saying, offering Sam a hand, "Doctor Lisa Cuddy."

Sam, surprised, finally smiled as she shook the doctor's hand. "Oh, hi. We talked on the phone. General Samantha Jackson."

Cuddy raised an eyebrow at her."_You're_ General Jackson?" She looked at House sceptically. "I see your habit of going for married women hasn't changed."

Sensing something that had been there a long time between the two doctors, she grimaced a little and said, getting up, "I'll... I'll leave you to it."

She walked away from the bar, trying hard not to laugh at the thought of a domestic between the two, when she was approached by a medium-brown haired man with heavy eyebrows.

"Hi... sorry. Doctor James Wilson."

She shook his offered hand and said with a smile, "Ah, right... House's best friend. He's mentioned you." She smirked a little when Wilson looked overwhelmed by that revelation. "General Samantha Jackson."

Surprised further, he asked, "General?" He glanced back at House smirking as Cuddy looked at him coldly from Sam's former barstool, and he said, realising, "Right, House's new boss." He looked back at her and continued as they walked further from the bar, "About that... what's the deal with his leg? He won't say anything about it. He's been what he's called a 'cripple' for about sixteen years... and now suddenly he isn't? What gives? And he isn't even taking his Vicodin... he's still an ass, but..."

Sam said with a shrug, sensing that House was watching her, "It's an experimental surgery that our base surgeon was working on in conjunction with the Russians."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? Why wouldn't he share that?"

"Come on, you've known him longer than I have... he's a private person."

He looked at her thoughtfully. "About that too..." He looked down at her left hand and then back at her again, raising his eyebrows once again. "I see he's still messing with married women." He nodded. "Nice meeting you."

Sam shook her head slightly, prepared to kill the next person who presumed that she and House were an item, before going up the stairs to explore her room, noticing as she did so a group, consisting of a dark man with cropped black hair, a fair-skinned woman with long light brown hair, and an equally as fair-skinned man with longish blonde hair, staring at her.

Great, she thought as she smiled at them as she passed them at the bottom of the elegant staircase, more of House's 'friends'.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The next morning, Sam woke up in her room at the hotel, and suddenly felt upset as her grief over Daniel's absence and the surrounding issues, intensified. She sniffed and curled up under the sheets as she contemplated telling House that she couldn't do it, and just going back home. She reasoned eventually however that she was House's guest and it would be rude, despite his repeated attempts the night before to seduce her.

Maybe she should have left after punching his lights out.

At least he would have one more thing this morning to explain, or not, to his friends.

She sighed as she picked up her mobile from the night stand, and called the last dialled number. She closed her eyes on hearing her father's voice, and she smiled in relief. "Hey Dad."

"Sam... are you ok?"

She sighed. "I'm fine, Dad. Really. Just having one of _those_ days."

"Ah. Got ya. Do you want me to come?"

She shook her head. "No, it's ok, Dad. It'll all be over soon."

"What did House do?"

"The usual." She smiled briefly. "Don't worry. I bruised him."

"That's my girl. If he causes you any more grief, just tell me and I along with my Ascended grandson will come to rearrange his face... or at least finish your work."

She smiled again. "Thanks, Dad. I appreciate you making a concerted effort not to storm over here and kill him."

"Well... who says that I haven't already?"

"Dad..."

Her father sounded sheepish. "Ok. I haven't... I just did... some things..."

She asked cautiously, "Dad... what did you do?"

"Nothing, nothing. Now come on, Sammy... rise and shine. You've got a whole day ahead of you... tell me, what's it been like so far?"

She shrugged. "I think he has a thing with his former boss, because she didn't like the look of me much. It's probably understandable seeing as they have a kid, but apparently it was a charity thing."

"Hey, if he's messing you around..."

"No, Dad... honestly, I'm fine. I can handle this. And if things get too much, I'll just orb home."

He hesitated. "Ok. You know where to find me if things get worse. God, you're as strong-willed as your Mom..."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, Wilson, dressed in a tuxedo with the tie undone, sat on the windowsill in his own room, looking out of the window, a pained expression on his face. He sighed as he thought of his girlfriend Amber, another doctor, who had died many years previously from an Amantadine overdose after a bus crash. As he did so, tears began to roll down his cheeks as he thought back to the day when he had fought to keep her alive, only to have her ultimately die in his arms.

He rested his head back against the wall of the windowsill, recalling House's repeated words, purportedly of wisdom, that he had always gone for women that needed fixing. Amber had been the only one who had broken the trend, which had confused House for a long time. Sure, she shared some of House's qualities, but she had been the best thing to happen to him in such a long time. He had been happy with her.

Over the years that followed, he had tried to go on as before, but he had felt dead inside. It wasn't until one night, years after Cameron and Chase had got married, that Cameron had come over to his house to comfort him, and one thing had led to another. He had sworn to himself that he didn't love her, but he knew that he did, a fact which for a while burned his soul to think that he was betraying Amber.

And now that guilt, that pain returned ten-fold. He was getting married... again... as if three failed marriages wasn't enough, and this time to someone who wasn't Amber. He had been considering proposing to her, and even suggested a trip to the Swiss Alps to surprise her with it. He sighed as he thought of the ring that he had had bought then, which now remained locked up in his office at Princeton Plainsboro, an eternal reminder to what could have been.

He quickly dried his eyes, embarrassed as he looked up on hearing the door open, to see House. He frowned on realising that House not only had a black eye but had an eyebrow missing along with bright pink hair, and he remarked, eventually chuckling,

"Pissed the missus off last night?"

House snapped, looking cold yet sounding furious, "She's not my girlfriend!"

"Well, I did guess that by the fact that you're not even sharing a room. So... what did you do?"

House closed the door and walked further into the room to sit on the bed. He looked up at Wilson, and asked,

"Are you sure you're doing the right thing, marrying Cameron?"

Wilson replied, lowering his gaze, "I don't know any more." He looked up at House again, hurt. "She did have a thing for you after all... and then she and Chase got a divorce when... you know... and now... now... I don't know whether I want to go through with it. I mean..." he waved his hands about. "... Alison makes me feel... alive. I haven't felt the things I've felt for so long but..."

House shrugged. "Maybe she'll fuck Foreman behind your back... and then she'd have nailed the old gang."

Wilson chuckled humourlessly and shook his head before looking out of the window again. "You're a cold bastard, House... even without the infarction. That's why you haven't got anyone."

House shot back. "I haven't _got _anyone because people are stupid, and they lie."

Wilson looked at him once again. "Oh, and you're a perfect saint with an IQ surpassing Einstein's?"

"Exactly."

Wilson chuckled again and said, looking out of the window once more, "Get Alison or Lisa to lend you an eyebrow pencil and some hair dye or something... you look ridiculous."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, after breakfast, went downstairs in her dress blues, ready for the wedding as she joined the group that had stared at her the night before, which now included a couple of others and was missing the woman. The dark-skinned man introduced the group.

"I'm Doctor Eric Foreman." He gestured to the man with blonde hair. "That's Doctor Robert Chase." Then a man who appeared to be of Asian extraction. "Doctor Lawrence Kutner." And lastly a man with thinning dark hair. "Doctor Chris Taub." Sam nodded and smiled in greeting.

"General-Doctor Samantha Jackson."

They each looked surprised, and Chase asked in an Australian accent, "Doctor? Medicine?"

Sam shook her head. "Astrophysics."

Kutner smiled. "Cool."

When the others shot him funny looks, he shrugged, wondering why they were looking at him like that. "What? It's cool."

Foreman looked around the foyer where they stood and said, noticing someone in the distance, "Oh... there she is." He pointed to a thin woman with long light brown hair. "... that's Thirteen."

Sam asked, sceptical, "Thirteen?"

Chase replied with a smirk, "That's what we call her... well... that's what House called her during the recruitment process for a new diagnostic team, and it stuck."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Later, Sam sat with her new friends and their children as Cameron, dressed in white, sat at a table at the front of a decorated hall, facing the guests, and Wilson, wearing a yarmulka, or a skull cap, and shawl soon joined her as several members of Wilson's family and a Rabbi gathered around them. House, who now sported a baseball cap and sunglasses to cover up his pink hair and missing eyebrow, murmured, as he was seated next to Sam,

"This is the signing of the Jewish prenup. Also known as the Ketubah. It's designed to protect the bride, played by my lovely assistant Cameron here... and as Wilson is now broke after three marriages, you can tell how effective it is."

After Wilson and Cameron had signed the agreement, some of Wilson's male relatives then signed something. "And that is them promising not to get in the way of a divorce if Wilson and Cameron decide to separate. As if they would get in the way... look at that tall one eyeing her up."

As photos were being taken, Wilson stood up and pulled the veil down over Cameron's face, covering it. "That is the Bedecken, or veiling. It's from the Old Testament when Rebekah covered her face before she married Isaac. To clothe and protect."

Wilson, the Rabbi and some of Wilson's family walked to a small tented area some distance away from the table. "And that's my time to shine." House got up, joining Cameron at the table, and Sam smiled as she watched the younger doctor look up at the older doctor with a smile before getting up and slipping her arm through his.

Ceremonial music began to play as the bride and House made their way to the canopy, and Taub, who Sam had met earlier, budged up a seat to take over from House as commentator. "That white canopy is called a Chupa, and as Cameron's Dad passed away a while back, she asked House to be the one to escort her in. Once inside the Chupa, the bride has to walk around the groom seven times... sometimes though they'll only do it once... which I think Cameron will as she's non-Jewish."

Sam nodded and they and the rest watched as House and Cameron entered the tent, and then Cameron proceeded to walk around Wilson seven times as Taub made a noise of surprise next to Sam. Cameron and Wilson then drank a cup of wine before the Rabbi began to pray in Hebrew, Sam noticing that the Jewish demographic of the guests were joining in. "He's binding them together in prayer."

When the prayers had finished, House, patting his pockets for a moment as everyone glared at him while one of Wilson's family grabbed his baseball cap and replaced it with a yarmulka as they tried hard not to laugh at his hair, gave the ring to Wilson, who, relieved that House hadn't actually lost it, slipped it onto the index finger of Cameron's right hand, and said the words,

"Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel."

Cameron then nervously said as she slipped a ring onto Wilson's finger, "I am for my beloved, and my beloved is for me," and Taub continued his commentary.

"The groom's ring has to belong to him... it's not allowed to be borrowed. It has to be a complete circle with no break... it symbolises the hope for a harmonious marriage... and it has to be plain with no stones or decoration of any kind. It's pretty much like regular wedding bands. The bride giving a ring is a non-orthodox tradition which takes issue with the idea that marriage is the man buying a woman. It's more of a two-way thing."

Following prayers, a speech and a blessing by the Rabbi, as camera bulbs flashed, Wilson broke a glass by stepping on it as everyone cheered and clapped, some of his relatives wolf-whistling.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The guests mingled in the hall amidst a large buffet, and Sam approached Taub. "Thanks for the commentary. My husband's an Archaeologist and I wish I'd listened more when he talked about different mythologies and customs."

Taub asked, curious, "Is he a practising Archaeologist?"

Sam nodded. "He works for the Air Force... translating things."

"Right. So... he's on business then? You spoke of him in the past tense."

She nodded again. "Yeah. He's working away from home." She smiled at Taub as they began to pile their plates. "So do you work at Princeton Plainsboro too?"

He replied, nodding as he ate a vol-au-vent, "Yep. House's old diagnostic team with Thirteen and Kutner, and sometimes Foreman and even Wilson. Chase and Cameron were originally on the team with Foreman, but Foreman and Cameron quit and Chase got fired." He whispered. "Chase and Cameron used to be married." He looked past her to see Chase crouching down in front of a small child, and she followed his gaze. "It's been tough on him but he's been good about it. It just didn't work after a while." He shook his head as he returned his attention to one of the buffet tables. "If that was me, I would have killed Wilson and made it look like an accident."

She nodded, perturbed, and Kutner approached her with his already half-full plate. "Hey." As he filled the rest of it, he asked, "What's with House's Pink impression?"

Sam shrugged, knowing exactly who had been the culprit. "No idea."

"And the black eye and missing eyebrow?"

Taub added with a smirk, gesticulating with a cocktail sausage, "And the bright green indelible ink on his forearm..."

Sam and Kutner looked surprised, and Taub shrugged. "His sleeve hitched up earlier."

They almost leapt out of the way when the small child that Sam had seen with Cuddy the night before, ran past, chasing the other children present, and Kutner remarked, "That's House's kid... just as dangerous as the real deal. Cuddy thought it'd be funny if she named him 'John'... after House's Dad apparently."

Taub added for Sam's benefit, "House hates his Dad."

Sam nodded once again, right before they heard cheering and wolf-whistling. They looked towards the doorway to see a smiling Wilson and Cameron, hand-in-hand, who then went around the room to greet their friends and family as lively Jewish music struck up, seemingly from nowhere. Taub remarked with a smirk,

"I hope you like dancing, General. There's gonna be a lot of it."


	7. Through Time and Space

Daniel frowned as he looked at his familiar surroundings, and he said, looking straight at older-Daniel, who, despite his Ascended state, now looked ashen with fear and pain as he remained still, "We're at the old house. We haven't lived here since after Sam came home from At..." He suddenly realised quite why his older self was so subdued, and he said softly, looking regretful, "Sorry."

On hearing some voices, Daniel approached the lounge cautiously neither noticing nor caring that his older self hadn't moved an inch, a terrified look on the face of the Ascended man. When Daniel had reached the lounge, he saw a most peculiar sight. The Jacks and the full complement of SG-1 were gathered around the room as he saw himself on the couch, holding two fair-haired toddlers in his lap, who Daniel realised to his bewilderment were Cammie and James from at least five years previously. He frowned on realising that this version of himself was in tears, and he, surmising that he must be invisible and, briefly imagining Sam going to hysterics about potentially changing timeline events, slowly entered the room and heard his other self say as he smoothed the children's hair,

"Mommy's..." other-Daniel closed his eyes and Jack gave his shoulder a squeeze, before he continued, lowering his head so he was closer to the twins, "I'm so sorry." His voice wavered dramatically with pent-up emotion as he fought for control over it. "Mommy's gone. She's not here any more. She's not coming back."

James tapped other-Daniel's jaw and asked with a confused frown, "Mommy gone?"

"Yes, Junior."

"No' comin' back?"

"No. I'm sorry."

James' face immediately crumpled and he began to cry, the cries ascending into screams as Cammie and then other-Daniel followed suit as the others looked even graver.

Daniel dropped to his knees in shock. His older self had taken him to the day that he had had to reveal Sam's death to Cammie and James in his timeline when Sam had died saving Atlantis from the Wraith. Daniel closed his eyes and said, feeling broken as he contemplated once again what losing Sam would do to him. He watched other-Daniel crying with his children, and he too began to cry too, whispering roughly,

"Dammit, why here?"

He turned to see the grave figure of older-Daniel behind him, who looked at his past self with a hint of his own deep sadness in his eyes, before saying to Daniel, "You have to understand, Daniel, how much Sam means to us... and what not having her in our lives would do. This is but the first step of what is hopefully going to be a life-changing journey for you."

Daniel stood up and regarded his older self with a new respect as they sombrely left the room. "I could never have done that in a million years."

Older-Daniel regarded him wistfully. "It's not something that you'd plan. It happened... the worst thing in my entire life." He shook his head and Daniel gazed around himself in wonder, noticing now that they were in the middle of a huge desert, the sun bright and clear above them with not a cloud in sight. "You don't realise what you had, do you? Eighteen years and more of loneliness taught me a lot... and it made me realise a few things. Right before I lost Sam, I didn't think about how much I loved the women that I'd been with throughout my life."

Daniel immediately looked at him, looking defensive, and older-Daniel sighed, looking weary. "We both know that we loved Sarah... just not deep enough. Sha're... God, I still dream about her... she made me feel complete and so very loved." he gazed at Daniel with a slight smile. "No matter what, I will always love her. I go back to see her now and then."

Daniel looked at him, scared as his older self continued, "Time travel, idiot. We Ascended are above time and space." he sighed again. "It's not so easy coming back though. Each time I go, I know what will happen to her, what her fate will be, and to be honest, I can change it and you wouldn't know... but then I think how different things could be. There is way too much at stake... and I wouldn't risk the existence of your children."

Daniel remarked sarcastically, looking bitter, "Thanks."

"My point is that before I lost Sam, I didn't think too much about how the women I've been with fitted into my life... except for what happened with Sarah though. I'd been a fool. But apart from that... you didn't think about how you love Sam, and how different that is from the way you love Sha're."

Daniel retorted defensively, "I loved them. That's enough. It's not fair to..."

"To what, Daniel? Yes, we loved Sha're and it was in many ways different to what we feel for Sam, but... you won't allow yourself to consider that maybe you loved Sam a lot more because you had a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with her."

Daniel looked about ready to rip his older self's head off, not caring about that man's Ascended state. "Don't you dare denigrate what I had with Sha're. What I had with her was enough. It was good." He looked away from older-Daniel with a wistful sigh as he remembered his late wife.

"That's exactly my point. God, Daniel... it's not a denigration. Deep inside, I think you know what I mean... you're just feeling too guilty about it. You won't allow yourself to compare those two relationships, because you're scared that maybe it'll ruin the memories of what you had. It won't, believe me, it won't. Sha're will always be a part of us – she reached us in so many ways. It's not disrespecting her." Older-Daniel shook his head as he smiled slightly. "Sam had to force you almost to bring home the picture of Sha're that you kept on your desk. And now you keep it in a drawer because you're scared that Sam will feel sidelined, when it was her who pushed you to bring it home, and to let her share in your pain."

Daniel shook his head as he gazed into the distance, which consisted of an endless vista of golden sand. "It's complicated."

"Only if you make it so. Look, I guess what I'm trying to say is that Sha're made you feel that you were worth loving... and she never let you once forget that you were a man." the older man smiled sadly. "She and the Abydonians gave you your first family since our Mom and Dad... but realistically, if we'd been blessed enough to have her in our lives much longer than that year, she would never have stayed with us."

Daniel nodded, pained. "I know... I try not to think about it because that year was just so great... we were so happy." he shrugged. "But in the long term..." he shook his head. "I don't care. What we had was good."

Older-Daniel nodded and waved his hand. Suddenly, it was night, and Daniel asked, looking around himself, scared, "What did you do?"

"I want to show you something else."

Almost instantly, they were near what Daniel recognised as trailers used by Archaeologists during various excavation seasons. He frowned as he spun around, staring at them, and he finally looked at the glowing figure of older-Daniel, seeing pain and fear on his face yet again, and he asked,

"What happened here?"

The sound of a thin metal door opening drew his attention to one particular trailer, where a man stumbled out, coughing, spluttering and vomiting profusely. Daniel frowned and stepped closer, asking, despite not being salient here,

"Hello? Are you ok?"

Oil lamps from a nearby trailer illuminated the man just as Daniel froze in shock on hearing the man's voice which sounded strained, weak and scared. "Oh God... oh God... Sam... I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

This version of Daniel, who despite not being fifty yet but whose hair was almost totally white, ran away from the trailer, breathing erratically, and Daniel turned around to look at the ashen face of older-Daniel. "What the hell happened? What did you do?!"

Daniel turned back to the trailer on hearing the voice of someone that he hadn't seen in years. "Daniel! Wait, come back!"

He gasped on seeing an upset Sarah Gardener in the doorway of the trailer, the Archaeologist still getting a chill up his spine on seeing her despite the fact that Osiris had been removed from her long ago. Finally, after looking in the distance for a long while, she sighed resignedly and closed the door sadly. Daniel, horrified at what just been implied, turned right back to older Daniel, furious as he said, striding towards him purposefully,

"You cheated on Sam?!"

Daniel threw a punch at the Ascended man, sending him sprawling back into the sand, older-Daniel feeling too guilt-ridden despite the years that had passed in his timeline since the event, to stop his younger self or even to hit him back. Daniel stood over him, shaking his head defiantly.

"I am not you. I would never do that... she's my wife. She may have been..." his voice wavered. "... gone, but that doesn't change a thing. You of all people know that Ke'ra was a mistake... and not because she was actually Linnea!"

Daniel reluctantly helped the Ascended man up, and older-Daniel replied, looking away from him, "It wasn't straight forward, believe me, Daniel... and I didn't mean for it to happen. Sarah and I were just two very lonely souls... and I've spent every day since, wishing that I hadn't slept with her. It was a mistake... but you know what, when all is said and done, if Sam left you... and by _left_, I mean my kind of _left_ rather than the throwing her rings at you kind... she wouldn't have wanted you to be alone. You know that. It's just that... I wasn't ready... and realistically, I never was."

Their surroundings suddenly turned to white, and older-Daniel said softly, "I could tell you and show you so much more, but you're me... with no white hair and better looking. You'll never listen... you'll actively choose not to listen." he sighed. "This is a lot coming from me but... you are worth it. If you weren't before... then Sam made you worthy by giving you the love she so selflessly gave."

Daniel sighed, looking away from his older self. "Sam does that... she loves everyone. She takes people under her wing... I'm no different."

"Oh, you big idiot. You've lasted longer than her previous relationships. Doesn't that tell you something?"

Daniel looked at older-Daniel as though he was insane. "Yeeaahh. Like I'm so great. She was just unlucky... and still is... it just took longer to kick in."

Older-Daniel rolled his eyes. "Right." he angrily stomped around the nothingness around them and then looked right at Daniel, talking fast. "So each time she told you that she loved you was just a joke? Each time she..." he closed his eyes. "... loved us it wasn't real?! Oh for crying out loud, Daniel... she saw something in us. Now are you trying to say that she's mistaken, that she's stupid... because if you are, I don't care whether I get descended for what I'd do to you next."

Daniel didn't miss the menacing gleam in the older man's eyes, and he stared at him as he processed what the Ancient had said. Older-Daniel waved his fingers at his side and seconds later, Daniel found himself slowly falling into endless darkness. Scared, he called,

"Daniel!? What are you doing?!"

He looked around himself, panicked, and then stared on seeing glimpses of events, as though he was looking through a series of quantum mirrors all around him, which had been set to random. He saw Sam in what appeared to be Atlantis, a headset attached to her ear. A pregnant Sam in the Lantaean Mess as the expedition members celebrated Christmas with an older Cammie and James. Sam greeting older-Daniel, kissing and hugging him on a Pier as they both wept. He felt himself fall faster and faster as the moving images appeared to shoot upwards, away from him as he plummeted.

He didn't notice that he had come to a stop when he saw something that just stunned him completely. The image expanded until it encompassed him, and he found himself standing in the TARDIS, the brown-suited figure of the Doctor crouched over something that he couldn't see.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor, oblivious to Daniel's presence as Daniel wasn't actually there, murmured, "Hang on, just hang on, please. Just a little longer. Captain Jack's bringing the healing device and then we..."

Daniel froze when on closer inspection he saw a much older Sam lying in the Doctor's arms, a huge bloody wound on her chest. She smiled weakly. "Doctor... I'm not going to last that long. I can't even heal myself. It was nice..." She coughed, closing her eyes as she did so, and the Doctor said softly as he held her tighter, a hand holding a rudimentary dressing to her chest,

"No, that's what Jack would call _quitting_ talk. Hold on, please... Sam. You can't give on me now... not now." Daniel had never seen the Doctor cry up until that moment, and he sank to his knees in despair, grief and heartbreak as his eyes moved back to the reclining figure of his wife.

Daniel shook his head and then raised his hands over Sam's dying frame, whispering as glowing tears ran down his cheeks, "Please Sam, don't give up on me. I promise... I promise I'll..." he closed his eyes as yellowish-white light poured out of his hands. "... God, I don't even know what I'm promising."

Nothing happened of course due to the event simply being a replay of events, and the Archaeologist, frustrated, threw his hands down, and touched... or rather attempted to touch Sam's lips, whispering sadly as he sniffed, "Oh Sam... my fair Guinevere."

Sam, not hearing him, looked up at the Doctor and said quietly as the Time Lord touched her cheek, looking absolutely bereft but trying to look optimistic, "Doctor... I never told Daniel just how much he'd reached me... he never believed in himself and it was my fault."

The Doctor shook his head. "No. Don't say that. You loved him... and... he just wasn't ready."

"Oh Doctor..." she smiled again. "... my Doctor. I don't regret our time together, not one second. We were brilliant." The Doctor smiled as he struggled with his emotions, and she continued, "But I could have tried harder to make it work with Daniel. You don't know him like I do."

"Well, I'm glad... it would have meant seeing him naked... and I really like you humans, but... that would be a step too far." The Time Lord cringed as Sam laughed weakly, and Daniel said, frustrated as he kneeled on the other side of Sam from the Doctor,

"Don't just sit there! Do something! You're a fucking Time Lord!"

Sam reached up to touch the Doctor's cheek with a small smile, and he held her hand. "Thank you, Doctor." Her eyes closed as the Doctor frantically tried to keep her from going to sleep, and she whispered hoarsely, "I never stopped loving you, Daniel." At last, all became still and the Doctor, crying silently, closed his eyes as he held Sam to him, kissing her neck as his tears fell onto her silver hair. Daniel stared at the scene in horror, barely registering the doors of the TARDIS opening and Captain Jack running in, and he closed his eyes as he began to cry, feeling utterly broken.

He collapsed to the ground, not noticing his surroundings beginning to blur, and he openly cried for the first time in a very long time. "Oh God... oh God... Sam..."

As he lie curled in a ball, now in a huge expanse of black once more, older-Daniel stood over him, glowing in the darkness as white tears fell from his own eyes. "You know. You know what it's like... the pain, the helplessness. That Sam went with the Doctor because you pushed her away. Those years... she was supposed to be growing old with you, watching your children grow into wonderful people... they were stolen." he frowned. "... and it was your fault... all your fault. She shouldn't have died aboard the TARDIS, so far away from home, so far away from her family and her friends."

Daniel continued to sob uncontrollably, slowly beginning to descend into a state of catatonia, and older-Daniel, now looking sad instead of belligerent, crouched at his younger self's side and smoothed his hair. "Daniel, listen to me. The Doctor re-did the timeline... he... changed things... now you... you've got to finish the job. You've got to save the woman we love by allowing yourself to believe that you are so very worth it, Daniel. You are... so many times over."

Daniel, breathing heavily because of his emotional ordeal, whispered as he curled tighter, "Take me back to the TARDIS. Take me away from here, Daniel... I can't..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The Doctor, meanwhile, surrounded immediately by a transparent bubble that protected him from his wider surroundings, descended into the rift. He flew past the swirling madness, trying not to look at the stretched faces, prematurely aged by being lost in space and time, and hearing the eerie screams and protracted groans and wails echoing in the raging confluence of time and space.

Eventually, he saw a glowing smooth metallic ball which then opened, throwing a huge beam of yellow energy upwards, from where the Doctor had come. Mesmerised by the sight, he pulled his sonic screwdriver out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket and aimed it at the beacon, knowing full well what would happen to his protective bubble, but not caring due to his innate sense of justice taking over, superseding everything.

He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable as he activated his screwdriver, when he felt, to his confusion, hands lifting him under his arms. "What?!" He opened his eyes and looked up to see a glowing and determined Daniel. "What?!"

Daniel held the Doctor, stopping him from descending further into the depths of what appeared to be another kind of hell from the usual stereotype, and closed his eyes as he began to glow brighter and brighter. White and yellow energy surrounded the two men as the Doctor shielded his eyes as he squinted into the light in confusion. At last, a huge surge of energy burst towards the metallic ball, vaporising it in a colourful, explosive yet silent display of sparks and light.

Daniel, still glowing, smiled down at the Doctor, the Time Lord noticing that the Archaeologist looked more at peace than he had ever seen him. Daniel then looked up, tightening his hold on the Doctor as they began to soar upwards through the rift and much faster than when the Doctor had previously descended.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Back at Torchwood, Captain Jack, laughing and grinning, body tackled rather than hugged a surprised, happy and then awkward Doctor. Meanwhile Ianto and Gwen seated a drained looking Daniel on some steps, Ianto rushing away to get some refreshments for the Archaeologist. Gwen, highly concerned, sat down next to Daniel and asked as she smoothed his hair back,

"Doctor Jackson? Are you alright?"

Daniel nodded and said with a sigh, looking at her with a little yet weary smile, "I'm fine, thanks. It's getting a lot easier each time I do it. I'm just paying the price for not using my abilities like that more often."

Gwen looked up as Ianto came down the steps and then kneeled in front of Daniel, offering him a glass of an energy drink and a sandwich on a plate. Daniel shook his head, saying softly as he lowered his gaze, focussing on redressing his energy imbalance,

"No thanks."

The Doctor, stern, moved closer to the steps and Gwen got up before he sat down in her place. "Daniel. Don't be rude. You need an electrolyte solution because you've used up a lot of energy."

When Daniel didn't make any attempt to take the food from Ianto, the Doctor took it instead, nodding in thanks to the man. When everyone else had moved away, the Doctor nudged the Archaeologist, giving him the drink and he said as Daniel nodded before sipping it gingerly,

"You were brilliant, Daniel. Thanks."

Daniel shrugged and then the Doctor gave him the sandwich, which he picked at to begin with. "I... my older self... you know, the one who Ascended... he showed me a few things." He looked at the Doctor, his eyes involuntarily moist. "Thanks for being there for Sam."

The Doctor immediately realised exactly what he had meant and his expression grew graver as he remembered his loss in an alternate timeline. Daniel reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "The TARDIS is safely parked back where it was." He sighed and then glanced up and smiled in thanks as Ianto draped a blanket around his shoulders. "And... thanks for everything, Doctor... but I want to go home. I think I'm ready to work things out with Sam."

The Doctor smiled despite his own pain, and said emphatically as Daniel let go of his hand, "That's good." He looked at Daniel. "So... are you going to show that right hook off the next time I drop in?"

Daniel looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry about that. I... it was out of line." he looked up at the Doctor, eventually smiling as he shrugged. "I don't know... but I hope now that I'm more secure in myself about everything... and you're more than welcome to visit, any time."

"Nah, I'll leave it for a while... you know, let you and Sam settle down again." Smiling, the Doctor nudged him again and ruffled his hair in a rare show of affection for the Time Lord, especially when it came to Daniel. "You were brilliant though, Daniel, swooping down there... and you even safeguarded the rift from any other alien interference. This might seem like a cliché... especially to you... but you saved Earth."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Aboard the TARDIS, as the Doctor fiddled with the console, doing the work of six Time Lords, Captain Jack stood to attention in front of Daniel, and saluted him as the Archaeologist looked decidedly embarrassed. The Captain said, looking impressed and proud as he relaxed,

"Hey, you take it easy out there, Doctor J. Tell Sam I said 'hi'. Might go over to see you guys sometime."

Daniel smiled, replying, "Thanks, Captain. We'd love to have you over."

Captain Jack smiled at him and ruffled his hair affectionately right until the Doctor snapped, looking at the Captain testily, "Oi, hands to yourself."

Captain Jack silently mocked the Time Lord, much to Daniel's amusement, and the Captain shook hands with the Doctor. "Don't worry – didn't forget you, Doc. That would be impossible. See ya around, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Can't seem to get rid of you, brown suit."

The Doctor shrugged. "Well, I am a nine hundred and ten year old Time Lord, you know."

The Captain grinned. "You don't look a day over five hundred."

"Easy. Flattery will get you nowhere."

The Captain patted him on the shoulder and said as he left the TARDIS, pausing in the doorway to look back at the two Doctors, "See you around."

Daniel smiled and nodded as the Doctor sloppily saluted in acknowledgement, and Captain Jack left. Daniel said as he went to stand near the Doctor, holding onto a nearby railing in anticipation of a bumpy ride, "Nice man."

The Doctor nodded as he fiddled with a control. "True... but you don't want him getting too familiar... because old Captain Jack Harkness will try anything... and I mean _anything_... and I thought that _I _was pretty versatile and open-minded." the Doctor looked at him, his face alight with excitement. "So next stop..." realising something, he exclaimed, "Oh!" before reaching into the pocket of his suit jacket and putting something into Daniel's hand.

The Archaeologist opened his hand to find Sam's St Christopher and rings, and he looked at the Doctor, a little scared as well as surprised, and the Time Lord remarked soberly, "Just in case, eh?" He slowly smiled. "Don't worry... we're going to get you home, and hopefully Sam will see the changes in you." he grimaced. "And please don't mess things up this time. There's only so much meddling I can do to give you another chance, and realistically, I shouldn't be because of how I feel about her. But in another way, I should... to give her back all the years she gave me and more. She was always happier with you."

Daniel put the necklace and rings into his pocket, his gaze downcast. The Doctor regarded him for a moment before saying gleefully, "Anyway, as I was saying... next stop, Colorado Springs!" He passionately flipped and pressed controls as he leapt and bounded around the console. "Allons-y!" he beamed at a now amused Daniel as the TARDIS thrummed into life. "Molto bene!"


	8. Coming Back

While Greg and Dani slept, Cammie and James away at school, Sam snuggled up in an armchair with Jake, Claire and Grace sat on her knees and in her lap as she read them a story during a rare quiet moment in the Carter-Jackson household. She looked up briefly as older-James entered the room timidly and she smiled at him. He smiled back, looking a little bolder as he went to perch on a small table nearby, resting his elbows on his knees as he listened to the story too.

Sam paused and said, looking up at older-James, "Jimmy, come here."

The three toddlers seated on her looked up at the man, Claire whining as she stretched her arms up in his direction, saying, "Jimmy!" as the others smiled, and older-James picked Claire up and she rested her head on his shoulder. As Sam smiled at this, older-James, still holding Claire, kneeled at the side of the armchair, asking as he looked at his mother curiously,

"Mom?"

Sam's left side now free from Claire, the General hugged her eldest son with that arm, and she kissed him on the forehead, ruffling his hair. He bit his lip to hold back the tears that he had cried in his lowest of moments in the distant past and the not-so distant past, and she, sensing his emotions, said softly as she touched his cheek,

"You're my son, Jimmy, ok? There is no difference between you and James."

Claire drowsily muttered against older-James' shoulder, "'cept 'e's bigger."

Older-James, and Sam both chuckled at that as Jake played 'Pat-a-Cake' with Grace, and Sam, still amused, remarked, "Yes, you're bigger... but you're still my boy." She ruffled his hair again and he smiled back, the smile coming easier than it usually did, and he said,

"Thanks, Mom."

Older-James went back to sitting on the small table as Claire played with his shirt buttons, and Sam continued reading the story as Grace rested her head on her mother's shoulder now that Claire had gone as Sam smoothed Jake's hair. Older-James smiled slightly as he experienced something, not for the first time in the past few weeks, something that he hadn't in his own childhood – his mother reading to him.

He gazed down at Claire in his arms and he kissed her hair, resting his head against hers as they listened. He murmured in his head to his Ascended twin,

_'Cameron... you really should be here. You wanted this as much as I did.'_

_'You're forgetting something, James... she's not our mother. Our Mom is dead.'_

'_Don't say that._'

'_It's true. She's not even married to our Dad._'

_'Cameron...'_

_'No. Don't get all Dad on me. It's just the torment of Tantalus here. She looks like our Mom, talks and acts like our Mom, but she'll never be her... no matter what you do.'_

_'How can you be that heartless?! We all came back to save her... as far as I'm concerned, this is Mom, whether you want to accept that or not. You know what? I'm tired. It's bad enough that Dad number two's acting like a total fuckwit, but you're just making it worse. Why do you always have to be so awkward?! Why do you have to ruin everything?!'_

_'I'm not awk...'_

_'I'm not talking to you any more right now, Cameron. Give it up. Don't you think I'm aware that we lost Mom? Mom knows that too. God, come on... tell me whose Mom would accept us so willingly? It's one of the things that Dad loves about her. We missed out on all of this... and I know we'll never get as much as our kid selves have and will, but it helps. I like hanging with Mom.'_

A few seconds later, older-Cammie walked into the room, her face serious but tinged ever so slightly with pain and years of emotional scarring, and Sam looked up in surprise, well aware of the fact that this Ascended child had some closeness issues with her. Sam said with a smile as Jake scampered off her lap and ran to older-Cammie,

"Cammie..." noticing the pained look that suddenly appeared on her daughter's face, she corrected herself. "Sorry, Cameron. Come on, pull up a chair." Grace now revelled in having her mother's lap to herself as older-Cammie sat down with Jake on her knee, the toddler holding his Ascended sister's hand as he looked at his mother.

Sam was about to go back to reading when her mobile rang. Sighing, she, holding Grace, pulled the device from her jeans pocket, saying as she answered it,

"What it is now, Walter?"

She frowned in concentration as she listened to the Sergeant, and then said with a resigned sigh, "I'll be there in a minute." Disconnecting, she put the phone back into her pocket and remarked, exhaling, "Well... an hour wasn't too bad, was it?"

Carrying Grace as she stood up, she said to the twins, "Jake, Claire, get your shoes and coats on."

Older-James asked, looking worried as he and his sister followed Sam into the hall as she shrugged a jacket on, getting Grace's coat on as she did so, "Mom? What's going on?"

Sam replied as she knelt down to sit Grace on the floor so she could help the youngest toddler with her shoes, "Uh... the 'gate's down and your Uncle John and Uncle Rod can't get home without using the Odyssey... and that's undergoing repairs from the Lucian Alliance ambush last week."

Older-Cammie asked, "What about the Apollo?"

Sam shook her head as she unlocked the front door, about to run upstairs to get the babies. "The whole point with Atlantis having an interstellar ship of their own was that they could actually use it when they needed it. And besides, we can't contact them. I won't be long..."

Older-James nudged his sister, who then asked after a little grimace, "Uh... Mom, leave them here."

"No, it's ok... I..."

"Come on, Mom, don't be silly."

Older-James smiled slightly, raising his eyebrows a little at his mother as she smiled back knowingly, feeling a little better about older-Cammie's angst. "Yeah, Mom... we'll be fine."

He then went to help the toddlers get their coats off as they looked confused, and Grace held onto her mother tighter. Sam murmured down to her, touching her cheek, "Gracie, it's ok... I'll be back soon." Grace shook her head, holding Sam even tighter. "And besides, you'll end up in the Nursery again... I won't be able to take you with me around the base." She kissed her daughter's forehead before passing her to older-James as the toddler began to whimper. "Sshh, be good for Cameron and Jimmy... and Grandpa when he's come back from wherever he's wandered off to."

After looking around at her children one more time, Sam left, running to her car, and within seconds, she was speeding away to the mountain as older-James closed the front door and said with a smile as he bounced a sullen looking Grace in his hold,

"Who's up for a game?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Both Daniel and the Doctor held on tightly as the TARDIS rattled around them as the ship hurtled through time and space. A beeping sounded on the console, and the Doctor shouted over the general noise of rattling and turbulence as he grabbed another bar closer to the centre of the TARDIS control room,

"Something is interfering with the landing co-ordinates!"

Daniel shouted back, "What does that mean?!"

"It means that we can't land at your house!"

"What about the SGC?"

The Doctor nodded and grimaced as he stretched over to the console to fiddle with the controls. Daniel, having an idea, then closed his eyes and began to glow as the Doctor stopped what he was doing to look at the Archaeologist curiously. The glowing began to expand until it encompassed the console as the Time Lord looked concerned, and Daniel, grimacing as he struggled to use his powers, not having had adequate rest from his previous bout, said,

"It's Ancient energy... concentrated in the vicinity of my house." Gasping as the Doctor struggled to make his way over to the Archaeologist, Daniel continued, his eyes still closed, "I can get through it."

His head went back as the entire room now blazed with a bright light as the Doctor made to object, but didn't know what to say as he shielded his eyes from the intense light with his forearm. At last, all became still and Daniel, breathing heavily, leaned over a metallic bar, trying to recuperate quicker than he had done so after previous attempts. The Doctor asked, looking stunned,

"What was that?"

Daniel shook his head and replied after a pause, "I think I've got some house guests..." he smirked at the Time Lord. "And the TARDIS is definitely _not_ the most powerful source of energy in the universe."

The Doctor remarked, frowning at first but then smiling slightly as he fiddled with the controls once again, checking the ship's settings, "Well... if _I_ told you that, you wouldn't have believed me. Nice to see some more of that Daniel Jackson arrogance." They both looked at the doors, Daniel in admittedly a little fear, and the Doctor then asked,

"Ready?"

Daniel nodded after a moment's hesitation, gulping. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"I'll take that as a 'maybe'. Allons-y, mon Archaeologist."

Daniel followed the Doctor to the doors and the Time Lord opened them, letting Daniel out first. The Archaeologist gaped around himself at the back yard of his house and then at his house in wonder. He then stared at the Doctor. "It's my house."

"Well, I should hope so unless you're into burgling now. If the Police catch you, don't mention the TARDIS... I'm not having this ship as an accessory to a crime again."

The Doctor leaned in the doorway of the TARDIS, watching Daniel approach the house and he sighed, knowing that things would never be the same for him again now that he had changed things. Shaking himself mentally, he closed the door and followed the Archaeologist, just as a surprised looking older-James came out, staring at Daniel.

Daniel, perplexed on seeing his Ascended son, and then older-Cammie when he had reached the kitchen, greeted them warmly. They and the Doctor followed Daniel into the lounge where he promptly dropped to his knees as he finally let himself feel how much he had missed being home again on seeing Claire, Jake and Grace playing. The toddlers all turned shy on seeing him, the shyness soon dissipating as he hugged them tight as he began to cry.

As he hugged them, he noticed Greg and Dani crawling around, and he cried harder as he let the toddlers go, realising just how much he had missed. Older-Cammie bent down to pick the babies up and she then kneeled at Daniel's side, passing the babies to him before kissing him on the cheek, saying,

"Welcome home, Dad."

Daniel gazed down at the babies in wonder as Greg immediately began to gnaw on his hand while Dani squealed as Daniel smoothed her belly. He finally looked up at older-Cammie and asked,

"Where's your Mom?"

"She's picking Cammie and James up on the way back from the SGC. She should be back any minute now."

Just then, as Jake insisted on sitting on his father's lap regardless of the babies, the front door opened and James and Cammie came running in before stopping in shock on seeing Daniel. They then ran to their father as Sam stood in the doorway from the hallway to the lounge, staring at Daniel for a long moment. Sighing silently, she turned away and just walked out of the house without a word as only Daniel looked confused.

Before the Doctor could say anything, Daniel managed to lift the children off him, seating the babies on the floor before getting up running out after his wife. He was aware that he had hurt her... he just hadn't realised quite how much until now; or at least he was hoping that he hadn't hurt her that much.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam walked quickly down the street away from her house, feeling numb at first before the old hurts and pain resurfaced significantly. Concentrating on staying sane, she forced herself to walk faster despite warning signs at the back of her mind that it had begun to rain expectedly and that she should regulate her emotions, as she had been doing for the past half a year that Daniel had been gone.

Soaked to the bone within minutes, she kept on walking, ignoring the voice that called her name or the footsteps that neared her, when at last a strong hand spun her around, stopping her. Breathing heavily as she tried not to cry, she closed her eyes tightly and whispered forcefully, turning her face away from his,

"No, Daniel. No. Don't. Just don't. Leave me alone."

She was about to turn away again when he grabbed her by the shoulders and said heatedly, "Not 'til you've heard what I have to say. Now are you going to listen or are you just going to do the Jack thing of running away from everything?"

Stunned on hearing how uncharacteristically forceful he was being with her, she finally looked at him standing in front of her, just as soaked as she was and just as angry and frustrated. "Fine. Say what you have to say then."

He swallowed past his fear and said, "I've... God, I don't even know how to say it." he shook his head as he reached for her hand. "Look Sam, I've been stupid... I'll be the first... second... millionth to admit that. I was just scared of losing you. I didn't realise just what my behaviour was doing to you, how it had hurt you." he smiled through oncoming tears as he held her hand to his chest. "Truth be told, Samantha Carter-Jackson, I am worth your love, because your love made me a better person. I see that now." he looked away for a moment. "I just..." he sighed. "I just want you to know that I've changed so much since being with the Doctor... I've seen things... done things... and I know also that even though he is a better man than me... you loved me more. I've done some stupid things, and you never stopped loving me... you've always been there for me, and I just want you to know how sorry I am."

A tense silence hung in the air for a long moment, before she remarked, not looking impressed, "Is that it? You're going to let the Doctor win because even though I gave my heart to you, you think he's better?" she freed her hand forcibly before storming off angrily.

Even more frustrated at one more example of his wife's characteristic fiery spirit, he snapped, "Dammit! Will you at least let me finish!?"

She called back, stopping some distance away from him, "Why should I? You're always going to compare yourself to the Doctor. You're always going to think that you're not so great." she shook her head and was about to storm away again when he sprinted after her. He grabbed her by the shoulders again, spinning her around and before she could protest, he kissed her. He grimaced, groaning in pain when she kneed him in the crotch, and he, gasping as he tried to run after her, called,

"Sam!"

She stopped, letting him catch up with her and he was dismayed to see so much pain in her eyes as well. He, tentatively at first, reached up to cup her jaw and he said, "I'm not giving you up without a fight, Sam... that is if you'll take me back."

She sniffed as she allowed herself to cry. "You hurt me, Daniel... you don't understand what..."

"I do. I do understand." he continued at high speeds. "Look, you're upset because you think that I don't think I'm worth it, but I am, ok? The Doctor... huh, what does he have compared to me? The idiot was willing to drop himself into a time-space rift without any regard for his wellbeing... ok, I guess I'm one to talk but you know, there's always another way that doesn't need drastic measures, and he's just so self-inflated that he can't see that sometimes. Tsk, Time Lord indeed."

Sam couldn't help but smile through her tears as she watched him go off on a tangent and she immediately slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him, silencing him in just one of a few ways that she had perfected over six years of marriage. Gasping when they had parted, he asked, surprised,

"Does that mean...?"

She smiled again. "Of course I want to be still married to you, idiot."

Grinning in relief, he kissed her, murmuring when he rested his head against her shoulder as they held onto each other in the heavy downpour, "Just don't make a habit of kneeing me... I think I'd rather go a couple of rounds with a ribbon device."

Crying as she rested her head against his, she whispered, kissing his ear, "Just don't let me lose you again, Daniel, please?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As Jacob heated up some of the dinners that Sam had cooked and stored in the freezer in the event that she couldn't come home, Cammie and James did their homework in the lounge as they lie on their fronts, their dark blonde heads almost touching. Jake, Grace and Claire were taking their naps upstairs while Dani and Greg lie on their backs, staring at the ceiling in fascination as they made noises.

Older-Cammie asked the Doctor as they sat on the piano bench, "Do you think Mom's killed Dad number 2 yet?"

The Doctor looked in the direction of the kitchen where older-James was helping his grandfather as Jacob remarked, "I would." The Time Lord smiled briefly, and older-Cammie said,

"I saw him help you in Cardiff."

The Doctor looked at her in surprise, and she continued with a shrug as she idly played a tune on the piano, "Ascended being here, remember? We all saw it... Dad number 2 has a huge fan following up on our plain of existence. If they had the Internet, they would have had millions of e-groups and fan-listings for him by now."

The Doctor remarked with a slight smirk, "You should see my web presence. My TV self has a lot of forums, e-groups, and so on and so forth." he suddenly feigned innocence. "Not that I've checked or anything."

Older-Cammie smiled at him, saying as she played the opening bars to Beethoven's Fur Elise, "So... now that Mom won't be eloping with you for the time being..." she glanced at him again.

He looked at her incredulously. "But you have all of time and space at your disposal! You can even cross universes! Why would you want to come with me?"

She shrugged. "I like to travel... and you know, it's not the same as what you do... never knowing where you end up and just exploring and/or running. I loved doing that when I was corporeal."

The younger James said without looking up, "Having material or..."

And younger Cammie joined in, not looking up either, "... physical form or substance."

Older-Cammie chuckled as the Doctor looked stunned, and the Time Lord remarked, "You Carter-Jackson children... you scare me... and I'm smarter than your average time-travelling alien."

She shrugged again. "Yeah, well... what do you expect for a couple of seven year olds who are already in the sixth grade? They might even be skipped ahead some more when they go to Middle School next year."

"Bellissimo."

Just then the front door opened, and everyone looked up as Jacob and older-James peeked in from the kitchen, on seeing a soaked Sam and Daniel, looking happier than anyone had ever seen them, in the doorway from the hallway. Sam flashed everyone a smile as she reached for Daniel's hand again, and she said,

"Won't be long... just got to change... Have you guys seen the weather outside?"

And they were gone as everyone but the children exchanged bemused, amused and then awkward glances right as the phone began to ring now that the news of Daniel's arrival had reached the SGC and Washington D.C. The Doctor, suddenly amused, called after them,

"Sam, go easy on him."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Orbing straight upstairs to the bathroom, Sam hugged Daniel, not caring about the fact that they were both soaked, and she said, emotional as he rubbed her clammy skin beneath her clothes, "You came back to me... after everything, you came back to me... and you didn't give up."

He shook his head as he caressed her jaw. "Like I'd give up... since when have you known me to give up?"

She gazed up at him, frowning slightly on noticing the remains of a black eye and some small cuts and scars both on his face and his throat. After a moment's hesitation, they helped each other out of their clothes, feeling awkward at first. Grabbing a towel, she began to dry his body. He eventually stopped her, saying as he touched her jaw once again,

"Sam... we'd be better off in the shower... I mean, that is... if..."

Smiling in amusement as he stumbled over his words, but sad that he felt it necessary to stall, she grabbed his hand and led him into the shower. They gazed at each other, pain and sadness as well as love and hope in each other's eyes as she switched the water on, and he said, kissing her cheek as warm water began to fall on them,

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head as she rested it on his shoulder. "I'm sorry too, Daniel. I've learnt a few things too since you were gone... and I never realised before how much I took you for granted. I mean, you were always there to share housework and childcare duties... I never had to think for one moment what I was going to do if I was needed on base on your day off. I needed that wake-up call just as much as you did." she kissed his jaw. "Thanks for coming back."

He rested his head against hers as he held her tight. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. I never realised just how big that damn bed is before."

He sighed as he rubbed her back. "About that..."

She shook her head again, hearing the scepticism and beginning to sense it. "No. Oh no you're not going to be on the couch tonight."

"Sam... I..."

"No buts."

He smiled and kissed her hair before asking as he straightened up to gaze down at her, "What about the sharing thing?"

"Can I have a go at doing it this time?"

He smirked. "Just as long as you don't blow my head up."

She laughed, hitting him across the chest as he yelped. "Daniel!?"

Her smile faded as she cradled his jaw in her hand, smoothing the skin around his eye with her thumb as she closed her eyes. He closed his eyes too, frowning as he felt her rather strongly pushing into his mind and he murmured,

"You're not digging the garden, Sam... Jesus."

She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

Within seconds, he felt as though his mind had expanded exponentially, and as he was about to ask what she had done, he finally felt her the way that he had longed to for so long. He felt a warm feeling inside of him that he had usually felt back in the days when she would mentally hug him, and he could feel her emotions and see her thoughts. At last, he sighed in relief on hearing her.

_'Nifty, isn't it, this telepathy and empathy, isn't it?'_

_'Oh God... you have no idea...'_

_'Ah, ah, ah, Daniel...'_

_'Right, sorry, of course you do... it's great though.'_

He then saw her at his side and he held her hand as they surveyed their surroundings of what appeared to be an infinite expanse of desert, filled with orbs of different coloured light floating around them. When they looked up, it was as though they could see the entire universe in a single glance, so infinite was their view. He looked at her again.

_'What did you do?'_

_'All those times, you were the one initiating it... it was always tipped in your favour. We're finally equal now... this is our shared mind.'_

They gasped and then opened their eyes, finding themselves back in the shower again as the water began to cool. He switched the water off quickly, and remarked, amazed as he hugged her, partly as a way to stop them both from getting too cold, "Trust you to find a different way of doing things."

She kissed his neck. "Learnt from the best."

They got out, and as they dried each other off, Daniel suddenly touched her cheek. Sam looked up at him curiously, he asked, "Do you want your rings back?"

Surprised, she asked, "You still have them?"

"And your St Christopher... managed to hold onto them against all the odds."

She kissed his cheek. "Ok."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Ok?"

She shrugged. "I can't think of a precedent for this situation, so you're going to have to deal with me being inarticulate for the time being."

They smiled and he kneeled on the floor to reach into the pocket of his wet jeans. She kneeled down next to him as he opened his hand to reveal her necklace and rings. He looked up at her, touching her cheek again as he asked, "Do you want to get married again... you know, because I screwed things up the first time?"

She hugged him, shaking her head against his shoulder. "No, Daniel... don't be silly. Every marriage has its ups and downs... we just have to get on with our lives."

He kissed her neck and she let him go before he hesitated, gazing at her, unsure. She smiled at him as she caressed his jaw, and he, sensing her feelings and now feeling bolder, slowly slipped the rings back onto her finger before carefully putting the necklace around her neck. Holding onto him, she looked down at her left hand, and the once familiar rings, and she kissed him. Crying quietly, he whispered against her neck,

"I'm sorry."

She rubbed his back. "It's ok, Daniel. It's ok. Come on, let's get dressed before Jimmy cracks some rude jokes."

He asked, smiling slightly, "Which one... Jimmy the Elder or Jimmy the Younger?"

She chuckled, glancing downwards. "Good point."


	9. Slip Sliding Away

Daniel groaned in pain as Jack punched him in the stomach, the General remarking gruffly as he glanced accusingly at Sam, "Carter... why did you not do this?"

Sam simply shrugged and left the lounge for the kitchen as Daniel looked at her retreating figure in confusion, wondering why she hadn't even objected to the abuse at the hands of their former commanding officer. He called out to her mentally, holding out an arm to protect himself from a General who was beginning to enjoy himself,

_'Sam!'_

_'Not now, Daniel.'_

_'I thought you were ok.'_

_'Do you honestly think that I'm going to let it go just like that?'_

_'But you...'_

He looked up at Jack, who said, cocking his head in barely concealed amusement as he saw the confusion and the betrayal in Daniel's eyes, "You know... Dannyboy, when a woman says that she's forgiven you... she hasn't. Oh boy. She may be wearing your ring right now... but she's not gonna give up that easily. Not only is she a woman... she's Carter... let's be realistic here. I'm just... shocked that she hasn't killed you. But I'm next you know."

Daniel, confused and feeling out of his depth, left the lounge too, seeing Sam leaning against a worktop as she talked quietly to the Doctor, the General holding a drowsy Dani against her shoulder. He saw the Doctor look up at him, make eye contact and then continue his conversation with a seemingly oblivious Sam. Daniel, feeling even more betrayed and sad, turned on his heel and stalked out of the house as Jack called after him as Cam entered the lounge from the hallway after being passed by an annoyed looking Daniel,

"Hey!"

Cam asked as a concerned Vala looked up from reading to Cammie, James, Claire, Jake, Samantha and Francis, "What's up with Jackson?"

Jack waved dismissively, looking highly annoyed. "What do ya think?! Pfft, I hope he stays dead this time."

Vala remarked, amused, "Or at least return naked again." Smirking as Cam glared at her, she shrugged. "It was nice, what can I say?"

0o0o0o0o0o0

The Doctor glanced up, noticing Daniel in the doorway. He had intended to make his excuses then, to give the couple a chance to talk, but then the Archaeologist must have got the wrong idea again and left. The Time Lord looked back at a thoughtful looking Sam and asked,

"You sensed him right now, didn't you?"

Sam looked up at him, sadness in her eyes. "I did. I'm angry at myself for acting like an idiot earlier. I mean, sure he's back and he's promised that he's changed... but it doesn't excuse everything that he did. For someone generally quite selfless, he can be very selfish sometimes. I even accepted his rings back. Dammit. I know he's sorry, but... I don't know."

"You'd rather punish him."

She looked up at him again, surprised for a moment and then looking down, smiling in embarrassment. "I should have known... you know, it's scary how well you seem to know me sometimes."

He gazed at her, trying not to let her feel how much pain he was in. "In another one of those alternate timelines... I knew you very well." Needing a change of subject, he said, suddenly sounding bright as she frowned, sensing the darkness and pain emanating from him, "So... anyway, I'm sure if I'd left him alone with Captain Jack... it would have been pretty messy. That man will try anything... although you should have seen him when he'd met the Asgard. He cried for a week... he liked Thor, you know."

She laughed softly as she remembered the Captain. "I liked him."

"He liked you too... I think he liked Daniel a lot more though."

She chuckled, and he said, gazing at her tenderly, "Sam."

She met his gaze once more, and he continued as she felt drawn to his eyes, "Sam... you've wasted enough time... get this fight over and done with. He really has changed... I promise you. That old chap... you know, the Ancient..."

She frowned in amusement. "My Dad?"

He grimaced. "Oh no... no, ugh. No. I meant the older version of Daniel."

She nodded, her smile gone as she remembered older-Daniel and how much he was in even though he was Ascended, and the Doctor continued with a sigh, "Anyway... that old chap took him on one of those voyages of self-discovery. Daniel looked pretty shaken up when he told me about it."

Surprised that Daniel would confide in the Doctor at all, she asked, "He told you?"

He shrugged. "Well, I was as surprised as you are... but apparently he likes me now. And to be truthful, I like him but I always did. Even if I'd hated his guts beforehand, it would have been hard to hate him after the insanely... insane number of times he's saved me."

0o0o0o0o0o0

As Daniel stormed off in another emotionally driven downpour, older-Cammie appeared in front of him in a flash of light, her hands on his chest, stopping him. She said, shaking her head defiantly,

"Dad. No. Think about what you're doing."

He, angrier, pushed her out of the way and walked faster, remarking, "What do you care... I'm not your real father."

She appeared in front of him again, glaring at him as he stopped again. "Dad, shut up and listen for once. Honestly... you and James are like peas in a pod most days." she sighed. "Look. You can't walk out on Mom. You don't know how much pain she's been in since you went off with the Doctor. She pushed Grandpa and James away... but then she gave up. I've never known her to give up. Ok, so I never knew my Mom, but she's the same woman... Samantha Carter never gives up. Where the heck do you think that I've got all of this spirit from?" she rolled her eyes. "Well, ok, I got my stubbornness from both of you... you especially but that's beside the point. My point is that you're walking out on her... God, when my Dad sees you again, he is going to dismember you. To be honest, I'm pretty tempted to do that right now."

She looked at him, waiting for what he had to say for himself. Daniel sighed, shaking his head as he looked away from her for a moment before replying, "Cameron... I... it's your Mom. She's pushing me away... and I don't blame her. I did some terrible things and she's got every right to be pissed at me. I just don't think I have a place at home any more." he closed his eyes as he began to cry, feeling broken. "I'd go through hell and back for her... I'd do anything for her... I just wish she'd know that."

Older-Cammie rolled her eyes, her arms folded across her chest. "Yeah. Right... come on, that only works in badly written movies... and if we were in one now... one: I'd have blonde hair for some vacuous reason, and two: Mom would be standing behind you as you poured your heart out. You know... Mom's quite a lot like Uncle Jack sometimes... you have to earn her respect and trust. You started out pretty damn easily because Mom was like your biggest fan already... but..." she offered him her hand. "Come on, Dad... let's go home. If you catch cold, Uncle Jack would happily finish the job."

He shook his head. "I can't, Cameron. I can't. Just leave me."

"What about your children then? Are you just going to drop in every so often with presents at different times, and that's it? Are you going to treat Mom like a friend and nothing more?." she, frustrated, almost stamped her foot. "Well, seeing as you're not really my Dad... stop talking shit and get the fuck back in the house, now!"

When Daniel shook his head again, ready to just keep walking, she grabbed him by the arm and closed her eyes, the Jacksons disappearing in a flash of white light as Daniel made to protest.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Jonas found Sam leaning in the doorway of the back door, doing something he had never before seen her do. She was smoking. He looked at her in disbelief, hoping that she hadn't been compromised by an alien wanting to know more about Earth culture. "Sam... you stopped smoking before you started at the Academy."

Sam grimaced as she looked at the cigarette that she held and she dropped it onto the step, stamping it out. She ran her fingers through her hair stressfully and said, turning to look at him, "The last time I gave in like that, Daniel was dead for all intents and purposes."

"You mean..."

She shook her head. "No. When he became a Prior. I never told anyone then but I gave up all hope not long after he'd gone. We didn't know where he was, what he was doing, whether or not Adria would really keep him alive..." she closed her eyes and sighed. She then asked,

"What's up?"

He shrugged. "Nothing's up with me... we're, ah, just concerned about you... you seem to be slowly losing it."

She looked down deprecatingly. "Yeah."

He looked dismayed at her easy answer, and he said, looking awkward for a moment, "You know... if you'd rather talk to a woman... I could get Lyn."

She shook her head as she looked out at the heavy rainfall in the back yard, seeing the TARDIS in the middle distance. "No... I'm ok, Jonas... thanks. And besides, it's pouring with rain and she's taking care of Henry."

He looked down, seeing her fidgeting with a packet of cigarettes, and he asked, "Does Daniel know you smoke?"

"He knows I smoked... but he doesn't know that I still do sometimes. He'd probably buy me Nicorettes for the rest of my natural life and hold my hand at Smokers' Anonymous meetings." she smiled despite her pain as she thought of Daniel's overwhelming concern for everyone he met who wasn't an enemy.

"He's a good man."

"It doesn't excuse what he did, Jonas." she shook her head sadly. "He was going to change the timeline so that he never came back... because by his convoluted logic, it would free me up to be with the Doctor."

Jonas smiled in amusement for a moment. "He is an idiot, isn't he?"

She looked at him in surprise. "You don't think I have a thing with the Doctor?"

He shrugged. "Why should I? It's obvious."

She shook her head. "I get the feeling that you guys think it's all my fault that he's been acting out."

He looked concerned once again. "That is certainly not true, Sam, believe me. Ok... I know, ah, Jack and Jack said some, ah, things about you, but they didn't mean it... you know what they're like."

She sighed. "I can't help thinking though sometimes that Daniel doesn't like me mixing and making friends with men." she chuckled humourlessly. "It's difficult in our jobs... and he doesn't seem to mind you guys... it's just people like the Doctor... or even House sometimes, for crying out loud..."

Jack appeared at that moment, remarking nonchalantly on hearing his catchphrase, "You rang?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Fuck off, Jack."

"Potty mouth." he sniffed the air. "Someone's been smoking... bad habit."

Jonas shrugged and said, covering for Sam, "Uh... yeah, Lyn says that all the time." As a surprised Sam was about to object, he nodded at her and went back into the kitchen, and Jack remarked,

"So gonna spill on why Jonas is telling porkies?"

"Well... maybe he thought you'd hit the roof."

"Pfft. I'm not your Dad... that would be disturbing."

She looked out into the backyard again, looking thoughtful, her back resting against the wall adjacent to the doorway, and he asked, "You ok?"

"Barely."

He touched her shoulder briefly and she looked at him. "You can talk to him, you know. Give him hell... get it out of your system."

She sighed. "I just don't think I'm ready right now. I'm just so pissed at him for everything... and myself for taking him back so easily."

"All right, but you better sort this out soon... you'll make it worse if you leave it."

0o0o0o0o0o0

When Daniel had returned, soaked to the bone, his team-mates and friends milling around him in concern, the Doctor said brightly, "Well, I better be off now."

Everyone looked at him, Sam in concern as Daniel tried to keep his features neutral on seeing Sam's reaction, and she asked, looking sad, "Now?"

The Time Lord nodded, his smile gone as he gazed at her, aware of what he had lost. "Yeah... the Universe isn't going to explore itself." After everyone else but Sam had bid him their farewells, Daniel quickly hugged the Doctor after a moment's hesitation. The Doctor whispered in his ear,

"Don't give up, Daniel. Fight for her."

Daniel nodded when he'd let the Time Lord go, and he said, shaking his hand before the two men walked into the kitchen, Sam and their friends following them at a distance, "It was an honour travelling with you."

"Hey, no. The honour's all mine. You saved me so many times despite me being all mean to you. You've come far."

When they reached the back door, the Doctor turned around, looking for Sam, and when he had seen her, he smiled. She smiled back and he hugged her. She returned his hug, saying as Daniel looked away awkwardly, "I'm going to miss you."

"Same here."

"Take care of yourself out there."

He nodded. "I'll be ok... if Cameron's anything like you, she'll kill me before anyone else can get a chance."

She smiled as they walked out into the garden, she holding his hand, and older-Cammie appeared in a flash of light. After looking at Daniel for a moment, the Ascended being turned her attention to Sam, the General pulling her into a hug as she began to cry. Sam whispered as she looked at her Ascended daughter from an alternate future,

"And you take care too, ok? I know you're Ascended but you're not invincible."

"I'll be fine, Mom... James has already given me The Talk. That's why he left... he's watching over me."

Sam smirked in amusement at her Ascended son having his father's mother hen instincts, and she looked up at the sky. The TARDIS' doors then opened and the Doctor gazed at her for a moment. She returned his gaze, unable to hide the sadness in her face, and she said softly,

"Good luck."

"And to you, Sam."

And then he and older-Cammie disappeared into the ship. Sam and her friends all stepped back as the TARDIS thrummed noisily from view, before Jack remarked with a clap of his hands, "Who's up for naked volleyball?"

0o0o0o0o0o0

Later that night, after all seven corporeal Carter-Jackson had been settled down for the night, Daniel sat on his bed, watching Sam as she changed her clothes. He then frowned as she approached the bed and kissed him on the temple, bidding him goodnight before leaving the room and going downstairs. He called after her, confused,

"Sam?"

She heard her reply in his head. '_I wasn't lying when I said that you didn't have to sleep on the couch tonight._'

'_Why can't you sleep here with me?_'

_'Because I don't think I can right now, Daniel. I'm angry with you... I'm really angry with you. And this time, it's going to take a lot longer for me to truly forgive you.'_

Rolling his eyes at her stubbornness, he remarked silently, getting up,_ 'Well, I'm not sleeping here by myself.'_

He went downstairs to the lounge, dismayed to find her curled up on the couch, looking sad. He sighed and kneeled in front of the couch, saying softly as he smoothed her hair, "Sam, please."

She turned away from him, her arms folded across her chest as he felt an outpouring of complex emotions from her. He sighed. "Fine. If you want to be childish..." he stretched out on the floor in front of the couch, his arms folded across his chest as he looked none too impressed. "... I'll sleep here."

He stared up at the ceiling, wondering how he was going to make things right again, when Sam's head began to obstruct his view of the ceiling. He looked at her, and she said, looking hurt,

"I can't forgive you, Daniel... and until I can... I don't think I can share a bed with you without killing you... or at least seriously maiming you." she sighed. "I'm glad you're back... I really am, but I was just so stupid to want to forgive you so easily."

Her head disappeared, and he replied, his hands now clasped beneath his head, "Well... at least you're not kneeing me." he paused, looking weary. "'night, Sam."

"'night. Can we talk in the morning?"

"I guess we'll have to... otherwise this is going to affect our blue-eyed horde."

"Ok then. 'night."

"'Sleep well."


	10. Clarification

Daniel returned the next morning on bicycle from taking his eldest children to school. Despite the stormy situation between him and Sam that didn't show much sign of abating any time soon, he beamed proudly at the thought of his children's academic achievements as he put his bike away under the stairs.

Peeking into the lounge, and then the kitchen, he finally saw Sam in the backyard, kneeling in the grass as she tended to a flower bed while Claire, Jake and Grace coloured in pictures as Greg and Dani wiggled around in their portable cots at Sam's side. He took a moment to reflect as he watched Sam in particular, hearing her hum in his head, and he sighed. He didn't know what to do. Why was she still so angry with him?

He cocked his head in thought as he suddenly realised that perhaps she wasn't just angry with him – she was angry at herself too... perhaps for some perceived weakness or maybe because she regretted something.

Sighing once again, he steeled himself as he left the kitchen through the back door, hoping that things weren't going to get a lot messier.

Sam looked up from her work briefly, looking down again with a pained look on her face. He glanced around the garden at the many changes to it since he had last looked at it properly – many months ago now – and he kneeled at her side, saying with a friendly smile,

"I like what you've done with the yard."

She shrugged, now even sadder that he was just resorting to being friends, her eyes all the while on a rose carnation bush that she had been pruning. "Thanks. Thought I might as well get caught up with the things I said I was going to do." she glanced at him sideways. "Was going to have roses but, you know, with our little squadron, there'd be tears before the day is out."

"Hmm." he smiled despite suddenly feeling tense around his wife. "And our original terrible twosome are going to be in Junior High next year. Wow. They're only seven."

She grinned despite her own pain. "Oh yeah. That bit of news actually managed to scare Jack." she chuckled. "And it shocked me to say the least... I mean, we knew they're bright... all our children are... but they're _way _beyond our expectations already. The school reckons that they'll be ready for college in a few years at least. Jack's got them playing hockey..."

He looked at her in disbelief. "Dear God, no."

She nodded, amused at his reaction. "Yep... and they're on the school's soccer team too. It's good for them though... balances them out." They exchanged a perturbed glance on hearing Jake utter an expletive behind them, and Sam turned around and snapped,

"Jacob Christopher Carter-Jackson, what have I told you about your language?"

Their fair-haired son pouted and then said as he picked up a crayon. "So'ee, Mommy."

"That's better."

She turned back to her work with a sigh. "He picked that up from Francis during pool time. Cam's still trying to figure out just where he picked that word up from. Suspect number one is Jack at the moment... and a close second is mini-Jack..." she paused, looking sadder. "I miss him."

Daniel asked, idle suspicions from the previous night surfacing, "He went?"

She nodded. "Not long after you." she laughed softly. "Turns out he did have a girlfriend after all. You'll never guess."

He, intrigued, asked, "Cassie?"

She cringed. "Eww. No. She's..." she grinned. "... she got engaged."

He smiled nostalgically, remembering the young girl SG-1 had brought to Earth from Hanka seventeen years previously, and whom they each had bonded with. "That's great news. I had a good feeling about Simon." he idly fiddled with a leaf, and asked, "Who's mini-Jack's girlfriend?"

She smiled cryptically. "The commanding officer of SG-2."

He stared at her in surprise. "Major Hailey?"

She chuckled. "Surprising, huh? It isn't if you think about it... they're quite well suited."

"I can't believe he never told me. Well. He did say he was seeing someone but from what I surmised, it wasn't all too serious."

"Oh... you should have seen the kiss at the airport." she laughed at the memory, the laughter fading into a wistful smile as she thought of their friend who was now the Coach of a Canadian hockey team. "We've seen him on ESPN during Vancouver Giants games... I recorded them all." She began to hum as she continued her work.

He watched her work for a long moment, and then he said, swallowing as his mouth suddenly became dry, "Sam. I only did what I did because I thought that that was what you wanted. The Doctor never did anything to hurt you... unlike what I did. I did a lot of things."

He watched as she put her secateurs down as her head lowered, and he continued, reaching out to gently smooth her cheek, "... a lot of things that I wish I'd never done. But you know what? I've learnt a lot being with the Doctor. I've hopefully become a better person... and I know that I'm better than the Doctor. I understand now. And, ok..." he shrugged and sighed. "... while I'm still pissed when you hug him or talk to him so intimately, I've developed enough as a person to know that he isn't out to 'steal' you and that you don't return his feelings."

He grimaced as he looked away from her. "You were only with him in an alternate future because the first time, I didn't descend... and then the second, I pushed you away." he blinked back tears as he remembered watching her older self die. "And... despite all that, you still loved me." he shook his head and then gazed at her again as she finally met his gaze, tears in her eyes. "I wish for all the world that I could take back all those months that have passed... we've wasted and have lost so much time already... I just want to be with you, Sam... for the rest of my life..." he chuckled humourlessly. "... or several lives. I just hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me for whatever I appear to have done that's got you angrier at me than before."

She sniffed as she began to cry quietly, and he, teary-eyed too, wiped her tears away. She finally looked up at him again. "Daniel... I..." she sighed. "I'm angry at you because of how you misunderstood things... how you hurt me... how you were so willing to change things. I'm angry at myself mostly though. I could have tried harder with you. But then I just think that maybe we did need that time apart... to think things over. We've just... never really had time for ourselves with the last five of our babies being so close together... we never had that time to heal or patch things up when we had a rift or a falling out... or when the post-natal stuff got to either of us."

He finally found the courage to hug her, and she rested her head against his shoulder, whispering as she clung onto him, "Daniel... I'm just all mixed up right now, and I hate it. I want things to go back to more or less how they were."

When they let each other go, she smiled at him as he dried her tears once again, and she asked, "What would you do if the Doctor came back and tried to persuade me to go along with him?"

He exhaled thoughtfully as he dropped his gaze from hers. "Well... it depends what he wanted. I mean, if it was because the fate of the universe depended on it and he needed your powers... I wouldn't have a problem, but if it's because he's lonely and just wants another chance at you... I'd kill him."

He finally met her gaze once again, and she, satisfied by his answer, kissed him. He gazed at her in surprise for all of a second before cupping her jaw and returning her kiss right before Claire and Jake simultaneously called in disgust,

"Eww!"

Daniel and Sam exchanged an amused glance, the former remarking with a smirk as Sam laughed, "You'll change your mind about that when you're older."

Sam reached for his hands and looked at him hopefully. "We're ok, aren't we?"

Daniel shrugged as he gave her hands a squeeze. "Well... it depends."

"Depends on what?"

_'Whether you want me to spend another night in front of the couch.'_

She raised an eyebrow at him challengingly. "I never said you had to."

_'Well, you know... __**you**__ decided you wanted to sleep on the couch... and I've been gone for six months. I really wanted to sleep with my wife.'_

_'You wouldn't have woken up this morning with all your limbs intact, believe me.' _She sighed. _'I think we needed some space to think and work things out.'_

He looked at her sceptically. _'And you have?'_

She shrugged, looking doubtful. '_I hope so... because I don't want to be aching tomorrow morning again._' she winced as she massaged her neck, which still ached from spending the previous night on the couch, and he said, concerned,

"Sam, turn around."

As Sam turned to face away from him, he glanced in the baby twins' cots to check on them, seeing that they were now asleep. He smiled slightly at that, before moving his wife to sit in between his legs as he massaged her shoulders and neck. She closed her eyes and eventually leaned back in his arms, resting her head against his chest. She gazed up at him from that position, saying with a now contented smile,

"I love you."

He smiled back, feeling much happier and lighter. He kissed her forehead. "I know. And I love you."

She closed her eyes, still smiling contentedly as he held her. "I can feel it... you are more confident and sure of yourself." she then frowned as she picked up more from his mind, and she opened her eyes, looking up at him in worry. "Daniel. We need to talk later."

He kissed her again, his smile gone as he remembered his travels with the Doctor. "I know... I've been saving up all the stories that I want to tell you... about Daleks and Sontarans... and everything that I've seen. I missed you out there. It wasn't the same as going through the 'gate with my family."

She smiled happily at his name for SG-1, and she said, "You know... when the terrifying trio here are older... we could finally go on our honeymoon."

His smile disappeared as he remembered a few things, and he kissed her lips, which were upside-down from his perspective. He sighed. "I'm sorry for missing our anniversary. Happy Anniversary, honey."

She got up to hug him, whispering as she held onto him, her head against his, "Thanks. You too." she smiled as she gazed at him, holding his face in her hands as she smoothed his jaw. "Thanks for coming back before my birthday though."


	11. Bedtime

That night, Sam, carrying a wide awake Dani who made noises against her shoulder, smiled in amusement on finding the twins' and Grace's rooms empty. She sighed, remarking to Dani, who gurgled in reply, "It's great having Daddy back home, isn't it? No-one falls asleep in their own bed."

She entered Cammie and James' room to find Daniel seated on one of the beds, his back against the head of it as he read a story with Jake and Claire seated on his stomach while Cammie and James were seated next to him on the bed, James holding Grace in his lap. Sam leaned in the doorway, now tinged with guilt for what she saw as depriving her children of their father... or in James and Greg's cases, mother.

Daniel glanced up briefly._ 'Sam, come on... if Cammie and James move out of the way, you can sit with me.'_

Sam smiled as she rubbed Dani's back. _'No, it's ok, Daniel... I'm fine just watching.'_

_'Fine. Where's Greg?'_

_'Fast asleep... these two rarely go to sleep at the same time... it's like one keeps look out.'_

She smiled again on hearing him laugh in her head right before the younger children began to fall asleep, Jake almost falling off his father. Daniel closed the book and said as he sat up, picking the now drowsy twins up, "Right, now you definitely have to go to bed, you two." He muttered with a smirk as he passed Sam as he left the room. "Stubborn as a pair of mules... just like their Mom..."

Sam chuckled and then went to help Grace down from Cammie's bed as James went back to his own bed. After straightening blankets and ruffling hair, she kissed her eldest children goodnight as they each said, starting to sound tired as she turned the light off,

"'night, Mom."

Smiling slightly, she left the room, closing the door behind her before taking Grace back to her own room. As Sam tucked Grace in, Grace asked, looking up at her mother with a frown,

"Mommy?"

"What is it, sweetie?"

"Daddy goin' 'way 'gain?"

Sam sat down on the edge of the bed of her third youngest child, and she said softly, gazing down at her as she smoothed her fair hair, "I hope not, Gracie. He's here to stay."

Grace replied with a determined expression as she began to blink slower. "Goo'." She yawned, her fists clenching as her eyes closed, and Sam whispered, kissing Grace on the forehead, "'night, Gracie."

She left the room, leaving only a night light on, and she peeked into the now dark room of the twins' room, to see them fast asleep. Not wanting to risk disturbing them, she closed the door quietly and then said with a smile as she held Dani up,

"Now what are we going to do with you?"

Daniel remarked as he emerged from his and Sam's room, "Sell her blood as a stimulant."

Sam exclaimed quietly, mindful of the sleeping children, "Daniel!?"

He rolled his eyes as he stood next to her, touching the baby's cheek. "Well, look at her... the rest of our horde always used to go to sleep... waking up a couple of hours later because they were hungry... but she just looks like she's enjoying herself."

"Wait 'til I start engaging her in conversation... she'll be asleep in no time."

Daniel gazed at his wife fondly. "I don't know how... unless of course she finds it therapeutic. You can't just look at it as a downside."

Sam chuckled. "I'm not... it's not a downside if it means she goes to sleep. These guys are pretty quiet though... they don't wake up in the middle of the night any more for feedings. Claire and Jake are growing out of it... and Grace... act. I don't think Grace ever had that habit. It was just the first four."

She passed Dani to Daniel, the baby beginning to whimper, and Sam, worried but not taking Dani back from Daniel, said, soothing her, "Ssh, it's only Daddy." Dani then looked at Daniel with big curious eyes that reminded Daniel of Sam, and Daniel gently kissed his daughter on the cheek, whispering as Sam followed him into Greg and Dani's room with a smile,

"Come on, little one... let's get you to bed too."

Daniel placed Dani in her crib, the baby babbling as she thrashed her limbs about for a while. Daniel reached down to smooth her stomach, whispering as Sam looked on in surprise that Dani was beginning to look tired, "That's my girl."

Sam remarked quietly, checking on a sleeping Greg and then on Dani, "All these nights I've been carrying one of them around while I settle the others. Damn Jacksons."

Daniel looked at her, smiling slightly, knowing that she was pouting, and he said, taking her hand as she gazed at him, the Archaeologist sensing worry from her, "Come on... let's go before they decide to wake up... I'm not sure how effective that tummy thing is." He reached up with his other hand to touch her face, smoothing her jaw as the fear grew in her eyes and in what he could sense, and he suddenly hated himself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel sat on the end of his and Sam's bed, watching once again as Sam went about getting ready, his wife not looking at him once. Sighing, he held his head in his hands for a long moment before saying, looking up at her again, the Archaeologist looking frustrated,

"Sam... if you didn't want to sleep with me, you could have just said so."

She finally stopped, dressed in her pyjamas, and she turned to face him, standing a good metre away from him, her back against the wardrobe. She looked scared. "Daniel... I..." she dropped her gaze and said in a quieter voice, "I'm scared." He remained seated as she continued, looking at him again, "Daniel, you know me... sometimes a lot better than I know myself and that's without this Ancient thing... so please don't be angry. It's... it's not all you."

His gaze dropped to his hands and he sighed as he closed his eyes, reaching out to her mind. "I know." he paused as her feelings became clearer. "You're scared that you're being weak."

He nodded and finally looked at her, his eyes seeming to her to pierce her soul. "And you're scared that maybe I'll go away again." He sighed again. "Sam. Look, we're not going to get anywhere near as back to normal if you keep pushing me away."

She snapped defensively, "I'm not pushing you away!"

"Well you're doing a pretty damn good job of it!"

Closing her eyes for a moment as she threw her hands down in frustration, she stormed out of the room, and Daniel, grimacing, flopped back down on the bed before getting up and following her out as he called to her mentally,

_'Sam!'_

He caught her at the top of the stairs, and she vainly fought against him, the Archaeologist realising that she wasn't putting up as much of a fight as she was capable of otherwise he would be seriously injured by now, if not dead. He said as she refused to meet his gaze, "Sam. Stop it. I came back for you and dammit, I'm not letting us drift apart again." He held her against the wall and said, his eyes furious, "Sam. Look at me."

She reluctantly met his gaze, and he continued, "You're not weak. You are from being weak. You're the strongest person I know. Now will you just stop sending me confusing signals?"

She looked angry enough to make a cruel retort or even inflict physical violence on him, but then her gaze dropped once again. Gazing at her, he slowly cupped her jaw, whispering,

"You really don't know how much I've missed you, Sam... all those months with the Doctor. I understand now... I understand everything. I was just so stupid before... and hey, maybe I'm being stupid now, but if wanting my wife back by my side is stupid, then so be it."

He, with equal slowness, gently lowered his lips to hers, kissing her. He closed his eyes as he felt a tidal wave of her feelings crashing down on him as her arms quickly went around his neck, her body moulding against his as she finally surrendered to him, one of her hands lost in his hair. Tears pricked his eyes at the intensity of the feelings, and he heard her voice in his head.

_'I'm sorry, Daniel. I just...'_

_'I know. It's ok. Just don't say anything... you don't have to.'_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Sorry for the short chapter, guys... it was going to be a lot longer but I couldn't get it done on time. Next chapter will be much longer, promise. :o)_


	12. Pillow Talk

Daniel watched Sam next to him in his own bed at last, but not in his arms. She was curled up at his side, her back to him as he sensed an overwhelming amount of suppressed anger, anxiety and depression from her. Lying on his back, he sighed quietly and for the first time that he could remember, he chewed his lip in worry. Her demeanour now was at odds with her earlier behaviour, and he began to wonder whether he had missed something that she obviously hadn't.

Sighing again, he gently touched her shoulder, saying softly, "Sam."

She flinched from his touch, replying quietly, her voice still laced with pain, "Go to sleep, Daniel."

His dormant frustration erupted as he snapped, unable to help himself, "No! No, we're sorting this out right now." Furious once again, he sat up. "You... you just keep confusing me, Sam." his voice wavered with a tight spectrum of emotions that he was sure were not all his. "I don't know what I've done... what I could do to... I don't know... I don't even know why you're still mad." He shook his head as she turned to lie on her back, watching him with only a small amount of fear showing on her face as he turned to look at her. "I can't share a bed with you like this. I'm sorry. One minute you're almost taking me on the floor, and the next, you're ignoring me." He sniffed and then realised that he was crying. Swearing under his breath, he got up, and Sam said, still not getting up as she sadly watched him,

"Daniel."

He turned to face her, the anger on his face melting into anguish as he gazed at the only person whom he had given his heart, his everything to. She swallowed past a lump in her throat as she looked down, tears beginning to course down her cheeks, and she said, eventually meeting his gaze again,

"You don't get it, do you, Daniel? You really can't see it." She closed her eyes as she tried to control her breathing, determined to say her piece, and he asked, looking confused despite usually being able to read her so well, the Archaeologist slowly coming back to the bed,

"What? What don't I see? Tell me, Sam... because evidently, I'm too stupid to get any of this."

He exhaled as he sat down on the edge of the bed furthest from her, his eyes closed as he tilted his face towards the ceiling before he turned to look at her, anger still in his eyes, in amongst a deepening sadness. She looked down at her lap as more tears fell, and she replied, her own frustration wavering in her voice,

"It's ok for you, Daniel... you go away with the Doctor leaving me to manage the kids, the house, the base, everything... as well as dealing with what you did to me, the pain you gave me. You've been through so much... I know, but Daniel..." she looked up at him, her gaze now strong as she held his. "... you can't expect me to be as healed as you are, and to carry on as before. I know how much time we've wasted... God, don't I know it, but..." she shook her head and sat up with a sigh.

Gazing at her in worry, he sat next to her, and she looked across at him, looking regretful. "Daniel... you remember why I ended things with Jonas? When I got over all the, well, blindness... I realised how I had compromised my own principles... how I'd let myself become so weak, so blind to everything, to hold onto him despite the fact that he was a million-timing control freak."

Daniel gulped, piecing things together as Sam continued, reaching for his hand as she rested her head on his shoulder. "And then Pete... I was so blind again. Ok, so he was a nice guy... although to tell the truth, I should have dumped him when he wouldn't leave it at that when I said I couldn't tell him what I really did... and then when he followed me to your house... and promptly got shot by Osiris. But I let myself... I... I forgot myself. I forgot who I was... and that pretty much happened when I had that stupid crush on Jack. With Pete, I could never be myself, even after he knew what I did for a living." She grimaced on remembering the man the Trust had recruited, and who had almost killed her over five years previously. "And of course... like most of the men before you, he was a complete lunatic." She chuckled humourlessly.

He gazed down at her, knowing what she was about to say next and waiting with the same grim acceptance of a man awaiting his execution. She gently smoothed his forearm as she sighed, thinking back over the years, and she said quietly,

"I thought about all that since you've been gone. God, I missed you so much... but it made me realise that maybe I've lost sight of my roots. You hurt me so bad and yet I still hung onto you. Any other woman would have dumped your sorry ass when you were too stubborn to see past your perceived inadequacies to believe that you were worthy of loving." She sighed. "And you know... it's just made me think... the number of times that you've put me through things... not on purpose, I know... and each time I stuck up for you, I waited for you... only for you to hurt me somehow again. I even told the other version of me when I got stuck in that alternate universe after helping the Doctor that you were so worth the tears."

She began to cry again, closing her eyes, and he, horrified at what he had sensed from her, and from what he had inferred from her words, reached over with his free hand to dry her tears as he began to hate himself even more. "I don't know... maybe I'm just being too romantic and not thinking about the grim practicalities of life... but... I'm beginning to wonder whether I should be trusting you, whether I should even..." She paused, now feeling scared as she spoke the next words, which sounded so strange to her own ears, "... whether I should even be with you any more... as your wife."

Without looking at him, she let him go and got up to leave the room. Daniel, tears rolling down his cheeks as she confirmed what he had worked out, stood up. "Wait." She stopped near the door, her back to him as she waited. The Archaeologist's voice was steely despite the tears. "You can't say something like that and just leave. You can't." He looked helpless. "At least give me a chance to redeem myself, to show you that I've changed and that... dammit..." he involuntarily sobbed. "... there is so much that you don't know and that you really need to know."

He sat back down on the bed as she turned to him. "How many times, Daniel? How many times are you going to keep doing stupid things and screwing up and... For once in your life, Daniel Jackson, believe in yourself. Any woman would love to have someone like you."

He threw his hands down on the bed in anger as he looked straight at her. "I don't want any other woman! I want you, Sam..." He closed his eyes as he turned away from her, his voice lowering. "I've always wanted you. You're the most wonderful person that I know... and you have this... _amazing _aura about you. Every moment I spend with you is, God... it's heaven. Other guys... they can't even share with their wives or girlfriends the things that I do with you... and that's without our abilities. You're just absolutely amazing. When I was in charge of the base, I could barely come home on the same day that I left for work, but you... you get things done and you have time for everything." He sighed as he looked down at his lap as she stood there, transfixed in shock at his words.

"So, yeah, you are too good for me and I often wonder why you love me, how you could love someone like me... but you know what, I've come to realise that we're together... or _were _together not for convenience or need. We were together for so long, as friends and then as lovers because we're about the only two people in this entire universe who can understand each other and who know each other inside and out. We have a mutually fulfilling relationship with a huge foundation of friendship. I know that if this all ultimately goes to hell and that we don't work out, that we'll still be friends..." he shook his head and then looked at her once again. "... but I don't want to be just friends with you, Sam. We've shared so much... been through so much... and then there's the kids. I don't know how I'd go through the rest of my life, seeing you and knowing that I could never touch you again like I once did. It would kill me."

She watched him, her chest hurting as his words sank in, and he watched her, his own chest hurting at the prospect of losing her once again. He closed his eyes as his head dropped sadly, Sam feeling a strange darkness from him. Suddenly she gasped as an image flashed in her mind. It flashed again but this time far stronger, and she saw herself... an older version of herself in the Doctor's arms aboard the TARDIS.

She opened her eyes with a start, seeing Daniel looking up at her with a worried expression, and he asked as she stared at him, unable to comprehend what she had seen, "Sam? What is it? What did you see?" She closed her eyes again and the image returned. She saw her older self's eyes close, and the Doctor cry as he held her.

And then suddenly a huge surge of images rushed through her mind at an alarming pace; the Doctor, a vast array of alien life forms – known and unknown to her, Captain Jack, older-Daniel, the TARDIS. She saw immense vistas of different colours and compositions, alien skies, the Cybermen, the Daleks, the Sontarans, an array of different space craft and computer systems, wars and invasions, disasters...

At last the images had stopped, and she opened her eyes to find herself kneeling on the floor and sobbing in Daniel's embrace, now with some idea of what he had been through. She closed her eyes again as she fought to catch her breath, and he, his fingers running through her hair, whispered as he rested his head against hers,

"I'm sorry, Sam. I'm so sorry... I don't know how that happened. I should have done a better job to stop things from leaking from my consciousness into yours."

When her breathing and her heart rate had settled somewhat from the shock of the images, she punched him in the arm. He frowned and was about to ask why she had hit him when she punched him again and said, looking furious as she looked at him,

"You deliberately put yourself on the line how many times!? What would have happened if you'd collapsed from using all that energy? And dropping into the Cardiff rift! If I'd been there, I would have killed you myself if the rift didn't do it."

He looked at her in surprise, surprised that she was deliberately showing concern for his wellbeing, and she stroked his cheek as she gazed at him, this time smiling slightly. "I'm still mad at you, Daniel... and if you want to spend the night with me, be aware that you could wake up Ascended tomorrow."

He looked at her fearfully and asked, remembering what she had said earlier about her considering ending their relationship, "What about...?"

"Let's just take it slowly, eh? We're always jumping into things and wanting to be normal... but it's not going to be easy this time. It wasn't when you descended the last time... and it certainly won't be this time. I don't want any tension between us... especially in front of the kids. It scared them the last time we had a huge blow-out."

He nodded as he touched her jaw, gazing at her, the sorrow and pain in his eyes beginning to part as he let her feel how much he loved her, in turn feeling her own love for him. "I wish you wouldn't love me, Sam. You deserve way better."

She shook her head as he dried her tears. "Don't, Daniel; just don't. Not again, please... because you've already broken my heart by putting me through hell. For someone so selfless, you can be unbelievably selfish."

"Sam... oh my fair Guinevere... just let me say one thing." He kissed her ear as he held her. "If I'm worth it, it's only because of you." When she looked ready to object, he shook his head. "No. I'm not having a debate on it. You're the most wonderful thing... person that has ever happened to me." He closed his eyes, his head rested against hers, and he murmured as he remembered arguing with older-Daniel in Egypt, "And you know what, Samantha Carter-Jackson?" Tears pricked his eyes as he allowed himself to realise what his older self had told him. "I love you more than anyone that I have ever been with."

She, despite hearing a similar thing from older-Daniel on Atlantis, looked at him in disbelief, and he continued, "It's true, Sam. It's so true."

She smiled as she rested her head against his shoulder, the General kissing his jaw. "And I love you more than anyone that I have ever been with... but you knew that anyway." She sighed. "Daniel... you understand why I'm mad at you, don't you?"

He gently rubbed her back, a troubled expression on his face. "I do... and I'll do whatever it takes to..."

She placed a finger on his lips, stopping him as she shook her head. "Don't say it. Taking it slowly, remember? If you say stuff like that, you're going to be all tense all around me... and I'll be tense with you... and we'd be at each other's throats before the week is done." She hugged him, sniffing back tears that threatened to fall as she whispered, "We're going to be ok... just... don't try to rush things along."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel, naked from the waist up, lie on his front on the bed as Sam kneeled at his side, sighing as she looked at the vast array of cuts, scars and bruises that defaced the skin of his back, shoulders, neck and arms. He said, his voice muffled against the pillow,

"It's not as bad as it looks."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Not as bad as it looks? You have healing powers... and you're fully capable of healing yourself... yet your back's a minefield."

"Saaam..."

She tutted, disappointed and concerned as she already knew that not healing himself each time he had received an injury during his travels had been a self-inflicted penance. "You know... if you weren't Agnostic, you'd make a great Catholic." Exhaling, she raised her hands over his body and closed her eyes as she focussed on healing him.

When she had finished, smiling as she felt a great relief on her own back, her smile faded as she gazed down at her husband's back. She gently lowered her hands onto it, her fingers slowly dancing over the taut skin as she reacquainted herself with what she usually wouldn't have hesitated in touching.

She heard Daniel's voice in her head, the Archaeologist not wanting to interrupt what appeared to be a quiet reacquainting. _'Sam?'_

She lie at his side, touching his jaw and his hair when he had turned over to gaze at her. He, in turn, played with her hair, like he had often done before he had left. She gazed at him and became more upset when she sensed hesitation from him. '_Daniel... see what I mean about being tense?_'

_'I'm just worried that you could knee me again.'_ He grimaced. '_That was about one of the worst pains I've experienced. I would say 'the worst' but I've been through childbirth twice, so..._'

She smiled as she ran her fingers through his hair, remarking fondly,_ 'Told ya that you're not like other guys.' _She gently kissed his cheek. _'Although you have to be pushed to take the initiative sometimes... and I wish that you wouldn't worry about being polite or considerate as much as you tend to do... I say 'tend'...'_

_'Hey, I read you loud and clear.' _He frowned as he turned to lie on his back, worrying about the things that he had done. She sighed softly and rested her head against his shoulder, her hand slowly rubbing his stomach. He closed his eyes and released a big breath as he began to feel more relaxed, and he glanced at her. '_I'm sorry, Sam... there's me being all..._'

'_Sshh. I know it isn't the welcome you'd expected, and on that principle alone, __**I'm**__ sorry, but..._'

He smiled slightly as he turned to lie on his hip, facing her. He gently stroked her jaw and then kissed her, her thought processes grinding to a halt, mid-sentence. She eventually remarked as her hand came to rest behind his neck, making him shiver a little as she smoothed his sensitive spot,_ 'Typical man in that respect... thinking that it'll all be good if you shut me up by kissing me.'_

_'Well, it worked, didn't it?'_

'_It certainly shut me up..._'

She groaned into the kiss as his arms tightened around her, gradually becoming aroused as long dormant feelings in her were reawakened. '_Daniel... I don't think we..._' She panted softly when the kiss ended, the Jacksons gazing at each other. She stroked his hair as she felt his own arousal, seeing the naked fire in his eyes. '_Oh God, Daniel... I... we can't do it, not now. I want to... but it isn't right. I need some time to think... straighten things out in my head a little more before I can take that step again._'

He gently smoothed her cheek with his fingers, replying aloud, "I know, Gwenhwyfar... I know." He smiled, his cheeks tingeing with the faintest shade of red. "Nice to know that I can still turn you on."

She laughed as he held her close, her head resting against his shoulder as he kissed her hair. "Like that was in any doubt..." She tilted her face up to kiss his jaw before settling down again. "'night, Daniel."

He kissed the top of her head once again, now smiling as he too settled down, feeling whole again now that he had his wife in his arms. "'night."


	13. Unexpected

_Lyrics featured are Written in the Stars by Westlife._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, having finished a large pile of paperwork, ventured out from her office into the rest of the SGC, feeling mentally drained not just from her previous task but from the problems that she and Daniel were currently experiencing. Sighing, she went into the Infirmary to see Carolyn just finishing the post mission tests for SG-3, the medic having returned to work a couple of months previously from her maternity leave. The Marines and Reynolds all stood to attention on sighting the General and Sam said, still not used to that particular tendency of the military personnel under her command,

"At ease, men."

They each nodded and after an ok from Carolyn, they filed out of the Infirmary. Carolyn remarked with a smirk as she handed her clipboard to a waiting Nurse, "Uneasy in power?"

"Oh, don't get me started."

Carolyn hugged her and said with a bigger smile, "Happy birthday, Sam. Jo and I..."

Sam frowned. "Jo?"

Carolyn rolled her eyes. "Jonas."

Sam chuckled as she perched on a nearby gurney. "Sorry, forgot about the pet names you guys have."

"Don't push it." Carolyn glanced around, checking that she had no more patients for the time being, and she said, inclining her head towards her office, "Come on, let's go in my office before House finishes in Isolation Room One."

Sam slid off the gurney and followed Carolyn into the doctor's office, saying, "I went to see the Bedrosian and Optrican refugees at the hospital earlier... they look a lot better... and Nyan's practically been living there."

Carolyn replied as they entered her office, taking seats either side of her desk, "Yeah. Doctors Frasier and Carmichael are doing a good job... but House sped it up by doing his..." Carolyn chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. "That man, I swear... he went around the Commissary earlier, diagnosing a whole string of Air Force personnel in the space of ten minutes."

Sam laughed. "He's a legend." She shrugged. "I was in two minds about sending him to the hospital with his – shall we say – abrasive sense of humour."

"I don't know... he seems a lot tamer than he used to be." Carolyn smirked. "Anything to say about that?"

Sam shrugged, feigning innocence. "Nothing much, except that if he ever does hit on me again, my Dad and my Ascended son will do a lot worse... and that's after my husband's finished with him. Not sure if I get a chance to defend myself these days."

Carolyn chuckled, knowing all too well just how defensive Daniel was of Sam, and she then asked, "Are you going home?"

Sam exhaled. "Yeah, I might as well – someone's got to keep Daniel company. Just going to do a little walk about first."

Carolyn nodded, her smile gone. "How are things?"

Sam sighed, her elbows propped up on the desk as she leaned forward, her gaze fallen. "They're going somewhere. We're taking it slow."

"That's better than nothing, I guess."

"I get the feeling though that I look like the bad guy here... not from Daniel, but from Cam and Jack... they wanted me to patch things up quickly with him... something about Daniel getting laid." Sam couldn't help but chuckle as she looked at the doctor once again. "Men, huh?"

Carolyn raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yes. Tell me about it. Jo's pretty much the same. Hey, how did Cammie and James like their new lunchboxes?"

Sam smiled, remarking bashfully, "You didn't have to."

"Well, I am their Aunt... and you and Daniel have been good to us and Henry."

"They liked them very much. Jimmy and Cammie said thanks... they've got a surprise for you. On strict orders not to tell you what it is."

Carolyn chuckled. "A surprise? I can't wait. Anyway, they're very welcome."

Sam asked as she looked at the reinstated Chief Medical Officer of the SGC, "So, how are things with you?"

Carolyn smiled once again. "Great, just great. My Mom and Dad are dropping in tomorrow and we're all going out for dinner. We were considering leaving Henry with Cam and Vala, but then Mom wanted to eat with her first grandchild."

"Ooh, that is nice. Where are you going?"

"Jo and I can't decide between Adam's Mountain Café on Manitou Avenue, or Mollica's up in Garden of the Gods."

Sam looked thoughtful. "They're both really good... Daniel and I went to Mollica's before we had the last set of CJ's... it's more family-friendly than Adam's."

Carolyn looked surprised considering the fact that at that point, the Jacksons had had five children, "You took..."

Sam laughed. "Oh no... just Cammie and James, but there were a couple of families with a lot more kids. Jake doesn't do too well in crowded places, and Grace can get very jealous of Daniel having my attention to the point of throwing things at him... so we left them and Claire at Cam and Vala's because Jack was hanging out with Teal'c and insisted." Sam sighed as she remembered her friend who now lived with the Hak'tyl. "I miss Teal'c."

"Oh, me too. He's a nice man... which is kind of unexpected from a man of his size and with his temperament."

They chuckled, and Sam said, getting up but looking regretful, "Well, I better go... might make it home at a humane hour if I start now."

Carolyn remarked sceptically, "Good luck with that."

Sam laughed and was about to leave when Carolyn, remembering something, said, "Sam?"

Sam looked at the medic curiously as she continued, "Almost forgot... Jo and I have got you something... going to drop round later on. Is that ok?"

"Of course it is... the dropping round part... but you're not getting me anything."

"Yeah right... like that's going to happen, _General_..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, after walking around the entire base, checking on scientific research and the progress of the base's scientific, archaeological and linguistic teams, was about to tiredly walk into the locker room to change out of her fatigues into civilian clothes when she heard Walter's voice,

"General Jackson!"

Blinking tiredly, the General asked, turning to the Sergeant to see that he was bearing a pile of envelopes, "What is it, Sergeant?"

Walter presented the pile of what turned out to be birthday cards to Sam, saying as he looked a little nervous, having observed her demeanour of late, "Happy birthday, General. I waited 'til before you were due to go because I didn't think you wanted to be harassed..." he lowered his voice. "... especially after the briefing from Doctor Balinsky's team."

Sam nodded gratefully, having surpassed new levels of boredom during the aforementioned briefing by Daniel's colleagues despite having a passing interest in the subject. "Thank you."

He nodded and was about to turn on his heel to return to his station in the control room when the unauthorised wormhole activation siren sounded. Sam sighed, remarking tiredly,

"What is this time?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A gate technician got up to give her seat to Walter as she said, looking up at Sam, "It appears to be from Atlantis, Ma'am."

Sam looked confused, saying with a frown as Walter tapped into the console, "But Colonel and Doctor Sheppard already checked in yesterday. Open a radio channel."

Walter replied as he pressed his earpiece, "Aye, Ma'am."

When Walter had opened a channel, Sam said, addressing the incoming traveller as she looked through the control room window to the 'gate below, the device covered by the Iris, "This is General Samantha Jackson of Stargate Command. Identify yourself."

A few seconds later, a voice came over the radio, a very familiar voice. "Hey General. Colonel Sheppard reporting."

Sam smiled in bemusement for a moment on recognising the voice of the military commander of the Atlantis expedition. "Quit the formalities, Sheppard – what's up?" She nodded at Walter who looked up at her, and he nodded in reply, the Iris almost immediately retracting.

She smiled again on detecting the slightly insolent tone that the Colonel had a tendency of using when he wasn't totally being 'the Colonel'. "It's a business call. Meredith grudgingly agreed that he and Radek need Jeannie for one of their science projects."

Sam managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes, remembering how spontaneous recent spells of retrieving Jeannie from British Columbia had been. "Colonel, what have I told you about spontaneity... you need to file the appropriate paperwork otherwise the IOA will get on my ass again, and I'll be on yours... and I don't want to be because you guys do such a great job out there."

"Yay, a blank cheque for mayhem now. Thanks."

Sam did roll her eyes that time and she asked, "Is it just McKay this time, or is it half the expedition like last time?"

"That would have been so cool... if only to see the look on your face. Nah, it's just McKay and Carson. And before you ask, they're already on their way. They should be with you in... oh, fifteen minutes now... Hey, quick question: do you and McKay get royalties every time anyone uses this thing?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam found herself smiling as she stood in the gateroom as McKay and Carson emerged from the active event horizon, the wormhole disengaging behind them. As the gateroom personnel lowered their weapons around the General, the two Doctor McKays descended the gate ramp and approached Sam. Sam, delighted to see them – Carson especially – hugged the medic, and said,

"It's great to see you again."

Carson hugged her back, remarking fondly, "Aye, it's nice to see you again too..." She looked Sam up and down. "... although I have to say that I'm a wee jealous that you appear to have lost your baby weight so quickly."

McKay added, unashamedly checking the General out, "Carson still hasn't lost all of hers..." His gaze drifted lower. "Hm. You've got a bigger..."

Carson rolled her eyes and then nudged her husband hard in the ribs, almost winding the Physicist as Sam unclenched her fist slowly. They left the room, Sam in between them, an arm around Carson's shoulders as the medic asked,

"So... how are those wee bairns of yours?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After seeing off Carson and McKay as they left for British Columbia, the Physicist reluctant to let the Odyssey simply beam him and his wife down there due to a penchant for airline food, Sam grudgingly filled in all the related paperwork, now halfway convinced that she would never see home again. She muttered grumpily as she glanced at the pile of birthday cards on her desk,

"So much for going home early."

On sensing someone about to knock on her door, she glared straight at the door, remarking fiercely, "Not now Doctor Balinsky. It can wait."

Seconds later, she saw a flustered looking Balinsky walk past her window, and Sam idly wondered whether she should start moving furniture from home into her office. Grimacing as she finished eventually, she faxed them to Homeworld Security before getting up and leaving the room with her birthday cards.

Waving goodbye to Walter, she jogged out of the briefing room, not wanting to take her chances of something else happening. For the second time that day, she was about to enter the locker room to change when she sensed someone standing behind her. Without turning around, she asked, forcing her voice into neutrality,

"What do you want, House?"

The former Chief Medical Officer of the SGC remarked gruffly, "Just wondering how you pulled that trick with dyeing my hair pink."

Sam turned around and barely stifled a laugh on seeing the doctor's hair notably darker than usual, House obviously having dyed it again in an attempt to get rid of the pink. She shrugged. "I didn't do it."

"Sure... Wilson snuck in, in the middle of the night 'cos he found it funnier than staying the night in a hotel bathroom."

"Well, you hit on me... and my Ascended family fixed you up after I did."

"Don't talk shit, General... what did you do?" House stepped closer to her, his voice more intense than previously and Sam found herself feeling scared. With a discreet wave of her hand, he froze, his mouth open as he was about to speak. Sam's hand began to glow as she waved it over the top of his hair, changing his hair colour back to his natural medium-to-dark brown, peppered with a lot of grey. Smirking despite her tiredness, she then waved her hand over his face, his chin now clean shaven for the first time in a very long time. Now feeling more tired because of using her powers whilst already in a state of tiredness, she walked into the locker room to get changed, almost cheering in triumph when she made it into the room and to her locker.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, having driven home very carefully, knowing that Daniel wouldn't be happy at all that she had driven in her state, parked on the driveway before getting out. She entered the house wearily, calling in her head as she dropped the pile of birthday cards onto a table in the hall,

_'Honey, I'm home.'_

She frowned on realising how quiet the house was taking into account that it was late afternoon when usually by now she would have been swamped by at least five of her children, and squealed at by two more. Her eyes almost closing with tiredness, she entered the lounge just as Daniel did from the kitchen, and he quickly stepped forward to hold her. She rested her head against his shoulder as he held her tight, and she asked tiredly,

"Where are the kids?"

"At Mitchell and Vala's. That seems to be SG-1 central at the moment with Jack and Jonas there too, but no Teal'c."

Sam groaned. "I saw Jack earlier... didn't know he was staying that long."

"Oh yeah. And guess what?"

"What?"

He sat down with her on the couch, the General in his arms as he gazed down at her. "Mini-Jack's come home again."

Surprised, she tried to open her eyes properly. "He has? Where is he?"

"He's at Mitchell's too. They all wanted to take you out for dinner but I knew it'd be the last thing you'd want after being on base since last night. Jack and I went to see the Bedrosians and the Optricans earlier."

Her head against his chest, she murmured, "Me too. They're doing good... nothing like a volcanic eruption to bring people together." She groaned again. "Daniel, I'm not really in the mood for talking right now... I'm going to have a shower and then I'm going to bed. Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, Jack forced me to eat something earlier." He helped her to stand and then gently kissed her. "Happy birthday, Sam."

She blinked tiredly and returned his kiss. "It is... I got you back."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Finally reaching the bed after her shower, Sam lie down on her front with a groan, feeling utterly drained. Peeking up at Daniel as he sat on the edge of the bed, watching her in concern, she remarked, "Are you going to sit there or are you going to lay down?"

He retorted, smirking nonetheless, "Easy General, you're exhausted."

"Smooth." She watched him undress and she smiled, never tiring of watching him do so. He then joined her in bed, making her shriek when he tickled her. She then draped her arm over his stomach as she murmured, her eyes closed as she turned to rest her head on his shoulder,

"McKay and Carson dropped in earlier... damn spontaneous Lantaeans... had to fill out more paperwork to cover the fact that Shep didn't do any." She soon fell asleep as he watched over her, gently smoothing her hair and touching her cheek. He then slowly reached under her pyjama top to caress her back as he began to look thoughtful, wondering whether he and Sam would ever be as intimate as they had once been.

He shook his head slightly with a sigh, remarking to himself that that was the least of his worries right now, or at least it should have been. His hand came to rest in its caresses on her waist, which seemed a little thicker than he had remembered. With that came the stark epiphany that while he had had all of the past now seven months to heal and straighten himself out, she hadn't had time to do anything remotely similar. He had never been in any real danger during his travels with the Doctor because he had always had his abilities but without having to worry about the implications and whether any of the villains he had faced would go after his family.

He kissed her shoulder, whispering as he ran his fingers through her hair, "I'm sorry, Sam. I wish I hadn't gone with the Doctor, but then if I hadn't gone, I wouldn't have made the leap that I have. But all that means nothing without you. And to be honest and truthful and everything else, I don't think that you compromised yourself. You are truly the strongest person that I know. I honestly do envy that about you... how you can love and love despite the things that happen. It isn't a weakness... it takes great courage to do that... greater courage than any of us and the rest of SG-1 possess, believe me." He held her close. "So... I wish that I could have been as healed as I am before now, long before now so I wouldn't have had to take that other path. I mean, I could have, I guess, gone back to where I'd left and in this timeline never left you... but the Doctor didn't like that idea. Something about a causal nexus or something. Plus, I think it would have ended up with me technically being four months older than you instead of you being two months older than me."

He rested his head against hers, still gazing down at her. "But I'll do whatever it takes... and I'll fight for you, not only because you're my wife, but you're my soulmate. You may hate me right now or want to keep me at arms' length, but that isn't going to stop me. I'm not the man that I was... I'm not going to leave you... I'm not going to run away to heal. Because that time away taught me how much that I've been taking you for granted. I automatically assumed that you would take care of the kids. Of course, there's no doubt there... I'd do the same for you if for all those months I was the one left behind. But it's the principle, my fair Guinevere. If I'd stood up to you... but then again maybe if I'd stayed, we would have been far worse than we are now... and that's something that I don't want to think about right now... because I still have you."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel woke up on his back to the feeling of Sam caressing his stomach. He gazed down at her, watching her appear to examine his bare torso, and he asked, his voice a little heavy with the last remnants of sleep, "Sam... what are you doing?"

She looked up at him and he reached up to smooth her cheek, understanding settling into his mind. He gazed at the eyes that he had longed to see for all those months, and he said in a soft voice, mesmerised by the depths of blue-grey before him, "I'm not going anywhere."

She turned to kiss his hand. "I know. I just want you to know that I'm glad you're back... and that you being here right now is the best birthday present that I could ever ask for."

"I did get you something."

She smiled. "I know you did, fellow telepath." She lowered her lips to his, kissing him gently and then she rested her head next to his, watching him as he, in turn, watched her. "It's a lovely bracelet." She smiled again. "Sorry about that... it was a total accident but..." she affectionately touched the tip of his nose. "... if it helps, I'll be more surprised than I will be when you give it to me."

He grinned. "You don't need to be." He returned her kiss and asked as his hand began to wander under her pyjama top again, "Do you want something to eat? It's actually a little weird having the house to ourselves."

She slowly rubbed his hip. "Tell me about it. Dad and older-Jimmy helped out when you were gone... but I couldn't let them do everything. It was bad enough going to New Jersey with House." She stared at him in surprise when he didn't look shocked or surprised at all, and she frowned. "You knew!"

He shrugged, feigning innocence. "Might have done." He smiled again. "Well, those images make a little more sense now. You went to a Jewish wedding with House. I'm actually a bit jealous... I love Jewish weddings. They're so interesting. I've only ever been to..." He squinted at the ceiling as he tried to remember and then looked back at her again. "... three, I think. There's just so much solid history and tradition behind each gesture, each part of the ceremony."

She looked amused. "I was thinking then that you'd be having a field day if you'd been there." She stroked his cheek with her thumb, and said, "I'll eat if you're hungry, but to be honest..." She grinned as she whispered in his ear, "I'm feeling more naughty than hungry right now." He stared at her, feeling exactly what she was feeling, and he murmured,

"I know."

"Well..." she asked coyly as her hand drifted with painful slowness down his torso. "... what are you going to do about it?"

He swallowed and then grabbed her hand before it went too far. When she frowned, he said, shaking his head, "You're doing it because you're turned on. You're not doing it because you actually want to be with me."

She rolled her eyes and then closed them as she caressed his jaw, remarking silently, '_Still the same man I married._'

"_Stay with me  
Don't fall asleep too soon  
The angels can wait  
For a moment..._"

He stared at her and then comprehension dawned on him when he got another direct glimpse into her psyche. She finally opened her eyes with an easy smile, amused at the surprise that now appeared on his face.

"See?"

_  
_"_Come real close  
Forget the world outside  
Tonight we're alone  
It's finally you and I..._"

His fingers hesitantly played with the buttons on her pyjama top and then he smiled as he gazed at her. She smiled back, seeing his love for her in his clear eyes at the same time as she felt it far more strongly than she had on previous occasions. He unbuttoned her top slowly as his smile grew wider on feeling her own love for him and she chuckled softly on feeling his shiver of delight. __

"_Aa-aah..._

It wasn't meant to feel like this

Aa-aah...

Not without you..."

Suddenly spluttering with laughter, amused as well as exasperated at how long he was taking, she quickly removed her top, and he remarked distractedly as he began to examine her breasts, "Still as impatient as ever."

"Well, you know, my patience depends on a number of factors... one of them being whether anyone's life depends on my being impatient... or patient." She kissed him searingly, jolting him out of his distraction as he wrapped his arms around her, a hand lost in her hair as he gave her everything she had given him plus more. _  
_  
"'_cause when I look at my life  
How the pieces fall into place  
It just wouldn't rhyme_

_Without you..._"

Daniel took a moment to gaze down at Sam lovingly as she lie beneath him, holding onto him. He gently brushed her cheek with his knuckles as her gaze softened, as they both contemplated the time that they had had apart. He kissed her with a smile as she reached up to thread her fingers through his hair, and she remarked affectionately as her other hand drifted underneath the waistband of his boxers, smoothing his backside,

"I missed your hair the most. I still don't know how you get it so soft."

He retorted with a fond quirk of his lips, "Now that's an Archaeological secret."

She laughed. "I think it's more of a Jackson trait... Jimmy and Claire both have your apparently unique hair allele."__

"_When I see how my path  
Seems to end up before your face  
The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Is written in the stars_

_Don't be afraid  
I'll be right by your side  
Through the laughter and pain  
Together we're bound to fly..._"

He chuckled and she looked down at his body over hers. She said as she looked thoughtful, "I'm so jealous of you losing _your_ baby weight. It's getting harder to lose mine as I get older."

He smiled as he kissed her on the forehead. "I don't care about yours, trust me. I always wanted more of you to play with." She laughed again, hitting him on the shoulder, and he continued, "All jokes aside, you'd look beautiful to me no matter what size you were."

She smiled up at him, moved by the conviction in his eyes. "You're sweet."

"I'm telling the truth."

He kissed her again as she smiled too, clinging onto him, and his lips moved to her collarbone as she groaned beneath him. He smiled against her neck when at one point she called out his name, and he whispered as he resumed his kisses, "Happy birthday, fy Gwenhwyfar."__

"_Aa-aah..._

I wasn't meant to love like this  
Not without you

'cause when I look at my life  
How the pieces fall into place  
It just wouldn't rhyme  
Without you

When I see how my path  
Seems to end up before your face  
The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Is written in the stars..."

As his mouth moved down her body, he said, "I think we'd better do this in our heads... that is if we want to pick up the kids later. To be honest, it's not fair on Mitchell and Vala to have to look after nine kids all together."

Her fingers tangled in his hair, she replied, gasping as he found a particularly sensitive spot, "Don't worry... I'll pick them up. You're not going to be much use to anyone later."__

"_Made a few mistakes, yeah  
Like sometimes we do  
Been through lot of heartache  
But I made it back to you_

'cause when I look at my life (yeah)  
How the pieces fall into place (into place)  
It just wouldn't rhyme  
Without you (without you)..."

He smiled when she gasped again as he ventured down to the apex of her thighs, and he closed his eyes as he felt her mental safeguards crumble as a huge wave of pleasure crashed over him. Suddenly Sam stopped groaning and he, curious, stopped and looked up at her from his position right before she sat up. He then smiled bashfully when he realised what she wanted and he kneeled in front of her. She kneeled in front of him, taking a moment to stroke his manhood in a brief moment of lucidity before straddling his lap.__

"_When I see how my path  
Seems to end up before your face_

_The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Is written in the stars_

Look at my life  
How the pieces fall into place  
It just wouldn't rhyme  
Without you..."

He kissed her, loosely wrapping his arms around her as he whispered sweet words in her ear. She, an arm around his waist, slipped her other arm around his neck as she kissed him as they began to move. They closed their eyes as they continued to kiss, one of Daniel's hands moving down to cup one of Sam's buttocks as they both groaned with pleasure. They intermittently called out each other's names as they drew to a climax as they lost themselves in a reciprocal exchange of both physical and mental pleasures, both relieved as they began to indulge in a far greater and more profound physical intimacy than they had shared in the month or so since Daniel's return.__

"_When I see how my path  
Seems to end up before your face  
The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Is written in the stars..._

The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Is written in the stars..."


	14. Checking In

Sam woke up some hours later in Daniel's tight and snug embrace, and she smiled to herself as she felt an overwhelming rush of love in amidst the complex tapestry of feelings that she had been experiencing of late. She gazed at the sleeping face in front of her and she gently stroked his face, whispering as her smile became tinged with sadness,

"You're a terrible liar, Daniel. I know you're still upset about the Doctor. I just want you to know that if we hadn't worked out, there wouldn't have been anyone else for me."

She was about to settle down and just watch over him when she heard him reply in her head, '_Don't be silly, Sam... someone like you wouldn't have been single for long. If not the Doctor, it would have been someone else._'

She looked at him in disbelief despite her husband actually being asleep. "Yeah right... like that would happen... even if I did get with someone... God, I don't even know why we're talking about this."

_'You started it.' _She chuckled on hearing the petulant tone in which his reply had been expressed, and she rested her head against his chest as she slowly rubbed his lower back.

"I missed this... just being able to talk to you at any time without any tension..." She smiled. "... and the incredible love making..."

He began to stir and he smiled drowsily as he played with her hair, replying aloud, "Same here." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "You've always done something to me that I can't explain." He groaned as he turned to lie on his back, Sam still in his arms as he said, looking at the clock,

"It's almost midnight..." He met her gaze as she lie over him. "Do you think we should leave it 'til the morning?" He then got distracted by the pressure of her chest against his and he closed his eyes and stretched his head back with a soft groan as she smirked. She replied as she looked down at him, feeling a growing sense of warmth within her,

"Well, we could just check on them, I guess. Cam and Vala don't go to bed 'til late... especially if either of the Jacks has anything to do with it."

She slid off him and he immediately looked disappointed. She then patted him on the hip playfully and remarked as she got up, stretching, "Stay in bed... I'll go to Cam's."

He struggled to sit up quickly. "Come on, I'm not staying here."

She rolled her eyes. "Daniel, you're a man... you need sleep now more than I do."

He snorted derisively. "Pfft. Says you... uh, about the sleep bit." She sat down next to him as he sat on the edge of the bed, and she remarked, touching his cheek,

"You don't have to."

He gently stroked her wrist as he returned her gaze. "It's ok... I feel cogent enough to make it to Mitchell's. I'm not going to be able to sleep anyhow if we don't check on them at least."

She sighed. "Ok." She got up to open the drawer of her nightstand and pulled out her pager. She smiled at him briefly before pressing some buttons on it, and he remarked, amused as he watched her, having seen through her mind what was on the pager,

"Walter's used to surly Generals."

She placed the pager on top of the nightstand, looking briefly guilty. "I wish I could have seen them go back to Atlantis. Seems like I'm shirking duties sometimes." She then turned to him with a mischievous grin. "How about a shower?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In amidst a downwardly spiralling spray of hot water, Sam held onto Daniel and remarked with a sniff as she rested her head against his shoulder as he held her close, his head against hers, "Haven't done this since the night you came back."

He kissed the top of her head and said softly as he gently rubbed her back, "Come on, Sam... let's get showered... we can talk on the way."

She smiled as she closed her eyes for a moment as she savoured the sensations that she was feeling. She remarked with an affectionate smile as she looked up at him, "There's just something fun about washing you."

He chuckled. "Right... I don't seem to remember much washing going on in the past."

She slipped her arms around his neck and gently kissed him before he pushed her up against the shower wall next to them, returning her kiss, but this time slower and more languorously. She laughed weakly as she ground her hips against his instinctively. "Daniel... we're not going to make it out of house by dawn at this rate."

He retorted casually, his mouth leaving hers as it ventured down to her neck, "I don't see you complaining."

She rolled her head back against the wall as she panted softly, her hips now spasmodically moving against his as his caresses grew more intimate. He groaned as she rubbed a tender spot on his neck, and he whispered, his head now resting against her shoulder as he looked up at her, "I still don't think it's normal how often we used to get frisky."

She caressed his hair as she tilted her face up towards the shower head, her eyes closed as the water fell on her. "Pfft, like anything is normal after working at the SGC for seventeen years." She smiled slightly as she gazed down at him. "Let's see if you still like me as much when I finally go totally grey."

He straightened up as he gazed at her, the image of the death of her older self playing in the back of his mind. Her smile vanished as she knew what he was thinking and he swallowed. He then held her face in his hands, looking at her lovingly, his eyes bearing a hint of the pain that he carried.

"Sam... my Samantha... no matter how old you are, you'll always be the most beautiful woman in the universe to me. I'm not just saying that either... you remember how I wondered about your older self before on Atlantis... and then I saw an older you die on board the TARDIS." His gaze dropped from hers briefly as he fought to remain relatively composed as she wrapped her arms around his waist, offering him comfort both mental and physical. He looked at her once again, his lips looking as though they were about to smile but then looking as though they had lost all knowledge of such a gesture. "Despite everything, you took my breath away the same way you do now and the same way that you've always done."

She sensed his tears, not seeing them because of the water but she knew that they were there. She gently kissed his lips and he returned the kiss, this time far softer than he had previously, but nonetheless satisfying. She closed her eyes during the embrace as the kiss steadily grew in intensity and she mentally hugged him on feeling his anguish.

When at last the kiss ended, they rested their foreheads together, panting. Eventually Sam whispered as she gazed at him, stroking his cheek, "Come on Daniel."

Daniel gave her a quick kiss and smiled as he looked at her, his forehead still against hers. "I still have you. After everything that we've been through on both professional and personal levels... through intergalactic prophecies... I still have you."

Sam beamed as she touched his lips. "Right back at ya, Galahad." They both chuckled as they looked up and then at each other, now wincing as the water noticeably cooled. "Maybe that's a sign that we're not supposed to be having briefings in here."

He smiled as he, still holding her, switched the water off and then grabbed a towel as a gleeful Sam squeezed her hair out. As he vaguely dried her with the towel, paying more attention to the places he was supposed to be drying than the act itself, he said with a frown that Sam instantly knew was a side effect of some deep thinking,

"You know... if we'd met each other years back..."

She kissed the tip of his nose with a grin. "Who knows what would have happened? Maybe Cammie and James would be in their twenties by now..." Her smile faded for a moment as she looked thoughtful. "... or maybe it wouldn't have worked out for whatever reason, and to get to the point where we are now, we had to live life... experience dizzying highs, terrifying and hellish lows... and the sometimes frightening but mostly exciting and intriguing in betweens."

He nodded pensively as he gazed at her, his hands now still. "I know. There's no guarantee that things would have been like how they are now, how they've been. I sometimes just wish that we could have met years ago and had far longer to get to know each other. But then I think that things had to happen this way." He hated himself when he saw her eyes cloud with pain, knowing that she was picking up his feelings about the past as well as naturally empathising with him. "And they have worked out... we have a huge family... we've got ten children, give or take different timelines and whatnot." He smirked at that. "And quite possibly the closest group of friends in the galaxy."

He wrapped the towel around her, feeling her shivers and she hugged him, partly in an attempt to keep him warm as she asked suddenly, smoothing his lower back, "Don't you ever get the feeling that at this point of the story in our lives, things don't seem to go wrong as much as they used to? I mean before we had emergencies every other day... And if we weren't at the SGC or off-world, there were bounty hunters and Goa'uld bombs... and mad millionaires..."

He nodded, chuckling briefly. "You noticed that too? I thought I was being paranoid. It's as though things have been evening out since we opened the Ark. We still have emergencies..."

She nodded with a sigh. "Oh yeah... when Merek almost killed House... and when Merek and Pete kidnapped you. God, if I'd known that he had that propensity to be that crazy when I was going out with him..." She closed her eyes in disgust. "I was even going to marry him as well. Agh! Talk about Diamond member of the Lunatic fringe."

He exhaled as they finally made their way out of the shower. "Well, that's all in the past... hm. I used to date someone who went on to become a System Lord." He grimaced. "Through no fault of her own of course." He shook his head, not liking the way that he had made light of the situation with Sarah especially after what had happened to his first wife, and Sam began to dry his body as she looked contemplative. She touched his cheek, feeling his pain.

"Daniel... I know how much pain you're in about what happened to Sha're and Sarah. You don't have to beat yourself up about it if you happen to joke like that... it doesn't mean that you think any less of them... of the suffering that they went through."

She then remarked, wrapping a towel around her form as he remained pensive, "Anyway, come on, let's go before the dawn chorus." She left the room without looking back, feeling something very strange, and what puzzled her and ultimately made her feel guilty was that it was actually from her own mind.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam smiled as she rested her head back against the seat rest of the passenger seat of Daniel's car as she watched her husband drive, feeling an unrelenting girly feeling. Daniel remarked, none too seriously, glancing at her,

"Hey, stop that. I'm beginning to crave ice cream and Will and Grace."

She retorted as she continued to watch him, "You do anyway."

He smiled sheepishly, his eyes on the road. "Bad example. Last ever episode was a bit of a let-down, wasn't it? I know it's supposed to leave you with a feeling of everything coming full circle, with Will's son and Grace's daughter meeting at college like Will and Grace did, but..." He scrunched up his nose in distaste and she chuckled.

"Well that was nothing compared to the last ever episode of Friends. That was so powerful that I had dreams about it for aeons after that."

He nodded. "Oh yeah, great writing... and everyone going their separate ways. That last scene was particularly poignant with the six keys on the counter top. Definitely the end of an era."

She laughed softly and he asked, glancing at her again, "What?"

"I just like how I can talk to you about anything... and how I can do just about anything with you. If Cam knew..."

He chuckled briefly. "I'd be more worried about Jack knowing..." He glanced at her. "I've got a feeling that Jack might actually be bisexual."

Sam stared at him in disbelief. "Go out of here, no!"

He nodded with a fading smirk. "He doesn't know it yet... he's from a generation that were practically indoctrinated that being anything short of what they loosely described as 'masculine' was nothing short of unnatural. Sad, really."

She blinked in surprise and then settled down again with a smile. "So... who was he eyeing up for you to guess that?"

He rolled his eyes. "It was very subtle and I'm sure that he didn't see it as homosexual." He grimaced. "Me actually. What he feels towards me is actually markedly different from what Mitchell and Teal'c feel towards me. I don't think that Jack actually knows what he's feeling."

She shook her head. "Your ego, I swear, as rare as it is for it to surface..."

"Just watch him closely when we see him next... you won't be scorning me so much."

She remarked sceptically, "All right." She then sighed happily and rested her hand on his thigh. He glanced down at her hand with a faint smile as he slowed in front of Cam and Vala's house. They both peered out of the car towards the house, seeing several lights on within the domicile. "Hmm. Well they appear to be still awake."

He parked in front of the house as the door opened, a certain Colonel stepping out. Daniel and Sam exchanged a quick smile before getting out of the car. Cam remarked as he patted Daniel on the back and slipped an arm around Sam when she greeted him,

"Thought you wouldn't be able to resist visiting the Mitchellator. Happy birthday, Sam." He kissed her on the cheek and, his arms around both her and Daniel, escorted them indoors. "Before you ask..." He cocked his head. "... the kids are all fine. Five out of seven went to sleep..."

Sam asked with a frown as Cam shut the door behind them, "Dani and Greg?"

"Nah, Dani and Grace. Those two are currently with their Aunt..." Whatever he was about to say died on his lips when the Jacksons filed through to the kitchen and came across mini-Jack. Sam beamed on seeing the younger man, noticing all the physical changes in him after a seven month absence, and she hugged him, almost sweeping him off his feet.

When she had eventually let him go, mini-Jack remarked, trying not to smirk but failing completely, "Easy, Carter... I'm not Daniel." He paused, feigning a state of thoughtfulness. "Although... I wouldn't mind. That guy regularly gets some."

Daniel whacked him across the shoulder and then patted him on the back affectionately before mini-Jack slipped an arm around Daniel's shoulders and walked out of the kitchen into the backyard with him. "So anyway, Jennifer should be home later... then maybe we could hang out tomorrow or later today. Actually..."

When they had gone, Sam watching where they had been with a thoughtful expression, Cam looked at the General and asked, "Things ok with you?"

Sam eventually looked back at him and replied with a small smile, "Yeah, thanks. I think we're almost normal."

Cam smirked briefly. "Good, good. Better than you two being at each other's throats." He offered his arm to her. "So, General... want to see those kids of yours?" When she, now laughing, linked arms with him, he remarked, "And before you say it... no, you're not taking them home. They're mostly asleep..." When she looked as though she was about to object, he raised a finger. "No. No trouble at all... especially after you single-handedly took care of Francis and Sam as well as the Jackson Seven when..." His face darkened with an emotional pain that was still fresh, and then he asked as Sam looked at him, her eyes suddenly moist as she remembered a traumatic event that had happened while Daniel had been away. "You didn't tell Jackson, did you? Vala doesn't want him to know."

"It's going to come out at some point... I can't always hide things from Daniel. And if I do, it doesn't stay hidden."

Cam nodded and Sam asked as they walked into the hallway, going to the stairs, "How is she?"

"I think she's getting better. She's almost back to normal. Thanks for everything."

Sam shrugged. "No need to thank me. We're all family." They ascended the stairs and she asked, "Where's Jack? Daniel said that he was still around."

"He left to drive Jonas and Carolyn home minutes before you came. He'll be back soon though... something about birthday beatings..."

Sam quietly snorted with laughter before Cam led her into a bedroom where four Carter-Jacksons and a Mitchell were asleep in a bed while Vala sat in a chair holding a wide awake Dani and a drowsy Grace as she quietly read to them, her cheek resting against Grace's hair. Sam left Cam in the doorway as she approached Vala. The darker-haired woman looked up with a smile and said quietly so as not to wake the children,

"Samantha."

Sam smiled as she kneeled at her friend's side, taking a now gurgling Dani from her. The General asked as Grace rubbed her eyes and then smiled on seeing her mother, "How are you doing, Vala?"

Vala nodded with a smile tinged with tiredness. "I'm ok, Samantha. How are things between you and Daniel?"

Sam replied as Grace slid off Vala's lap to clamber onto her mother, "Good." Sam kissed Grace on the forehead as she held her, and she asked Vala, "Have you been eating properly?"

Vala chuckled softly as she glanced up at Cam who was now leaning in the doorway, watching his wife with concern. "I have a military escort at meal times."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Having checked on all seven of her children who were now all asleep, Sam eventually went downstairs to find Jack in the kitchen. She smiled on seeing him. "Hey Jack."

He turned to her, remarking, "Finally... thought you'd been kidnapped... which wouldn't exactly be out of the ordinary now, would it... You kids ok?"

She nodded and he said, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a small packet, "I might have got you something."

She remarked, amused, "Might have?"

He shrugged, raising his eyebrows slowly. "Something about causality or something or other... I'm sure Jonas will gleefully try to explain it to you when you drive him home next. He's worse than Daniel when it comes to booze. I think you've been training our Space Monkey though... he's not as cheap a date as he used to be."

She replied with a smirk, now trying hard not to laugh on remembering what Daniel had told her earlier with regard to Jack's sexuality, "He still has his moments."

"I'll bet he does." He held the packet up briefly and then said, "Speaking of Space Monkey... what did he get you?"

She held up her left wrist, her shirt sleeve falling back to reveal a tasteful gold bracelet with alternating small oval shaped emeralds and smaller diamonds. She held her wrist up for his closer inspection and he let out a long whistle as he looked at it.

"That must have cost a pretty penny... a very pretty penny... what we in the business call a Mary Steenburgen penny..."

She chuckled, looking sceptical. "_Mary Steenburgen_?"

He shrugged. "Hey, if you actually appreciated that, Daniel should be worried." He then touched the stones on the bracelet. "Well, that's flashy." He squinted a little. "Ten carats easily those emeralds... and... not sure about the diamonds... but they're definitely legit."

She looked at him in surprise and he asked, looking bemused as her arm dropped to her side, "What?"

"How did you know?"

"About the stones? Did a two month stint on the anti-counterfeit squad in the Special Forces. Wish I'd married Daniel sometimes."

He smirked knowingly when he watched her look away, catching her smile, and he remarked, "Yeah... I knew it. Daniel's said I'm gay, hasn't he? You keep looking as though you'll explode any second now. I'm going to kill the little bastard."

Sam heard laughing in her head too and she looked at Jack in disbelief and then at nothing._ 'He's right. You bastard.'_

_'Knew you wouldn't be able to keep a straight face. I was just checking whether Jack still has his wits about him.'_

Sam laughed softly and then shook her head before Jack remarked, his eyebrows raised, "Interrupting, am I?"

Sam looked at him, an eyebrow raised as she looked mildly annoyed. "I call his head."

Jack raised both his eyebrows at her, looking bemused. "Which one?"

Sam reddened in embarrassment and he, smirking, said, handing her the packet finally, "Here ya go, that's my birthday beating done for the time being. No-one said it had to be physical." She thanked him as he walked past her, looking to cause more mischief and she smiled as she looked at the gift in her hand. She opened it as she rested her lower back against the worktop and then laughed as she lifted up a miniature Barbie doll dressed in olive green BDUs and holding a pair of tiny binoculars.

_'Daniel, where are you? I can hear a car engine.'_

'_Oh yeah, didn't want to disturb you when you were with Vala._' She frowned on feeling Daniel worry._ 'Anyway... Major Hailey's come back from visiting her family and I offered to drive mini-Jack out... I just wanted to see if it was for real.'_

She chuckled, and then asked, her smile gone, '_You knew, didn't you?_'

'_I knew something was going on... thought it would be something like that because Vala's in a lot of pain. We can talk later._'

_'Yeah.'_

His tone lifted._ 'So... SG Barbie, huh?'_

She smiled again. _'Just when I thought that we knew Jack...'_

_'Always springing surprises. Got to love that man.'_

_'Hey, concentrate on driving... I want you back in one piece.'_

_'So you and Jack can dismember me?' _Sam couldn't help but snort with laughter at that, just as Cam entered the kitchen, remarking on sighting the Barbie, "The things that make you laugh..."

Her smile faded as he picked the doll up with a smirk, and she said, looking troubled, "Daniel knows."

Cam nodded, instantly knowing what she was talking about as he looked at the doll, his smile gone. He shrugged. "Figures. Didn't want him getting all worried and everything. I guess it would help her to have someone else to talk to... and she's always been close to Jackson."

She sighed. "Yeah."

He suddenly smiled again as he said cheerfully, "Come on General, I can only keep General O'Neill away from the cake for so long without Teal'c here."

She looked surprised. "Cake?"

"The old General wouldn't have anything less."

She chuckled as she thought of Jack's fondness for cake. "I'll bet. We can wait for Daniel... he's another middle-aged guy who's in love with cake..."

Cam laughed and then pretended to look annoyed. "Hey... I think I count as middle-aged now." He looked momentarily stunned as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeesh. Nearly forty-four..." He then grinned at her. "Nothing compared to you though... you old forty-niner."

"Don't push it."


	15. Dinner

"It doesn't sound ridiculous until you hear yourself say that after nine years... or seventeen in your case, we can't watch Star Trek without laughing... a lot more."

Sam laughed at Cam's remark as she sat opposite him at a long table in the middle of a bustling restaurant one evening. The Colonel smirked before Francis, seated next to him, tapped him on the forearm. Cam looked down at the dark-haired little boy and then got to work with cutting his son's food, whatever point he was about to make forgotten for the moment.

Sam took the opportunity to look around the room at her huge family, the friends that she had made over the past seventeen years as well as her biological family. Even Mark and his family had made it, with Mark's wife not looking very impressed with Jack's behaviour as Mark kept laughing until his wife glared at him rebukingly as their children ate and joked around with their Jackson cousins.

The sight alone of her children with her nieces and nephews made Sam glow with happiness even more. Due to the two families living so far apart, moments like that were very rare indeed. Sam's attention was then drawn to Daniel as he engaged at least half the table in conversation, his head moving this way and that as he kept up with it all albeit giddily. The Astrophysicist raised an eyebrow briefly as she watched him, and then something clicked. She looked at Jack reprovingly as he sat with Sara further up from Cam.

The old General raised his eyebrows at her when she had eventually caught his eye as an amused Sara nudged him, knowing why, in principle, Sam was looking at him that way. "Carter? Got me and Daniel mixed up again?"

"You've slipped him alcohol, haven't you?"

Jack shrugged, both he and Sara looking nonchalant. "Might have."

Sam sighed and reached past Vala, who was seated in between her and Daniel, for Daniel's glass which was almost empty. The General sniffed it and then sighed again, shaking her head slightly as she swapped her own glass for his while Daniel continued to talk at high speeds to Elizabeth, Jonas, Carolyn, Carson, mini-Jack, Hailey, General Landry, Uncle George, and Vala.

Jack then said, grimacing a little as Daniel began to engage Sara in conversation too, "He seemed tense."

Sam just held his gaze, still looking reproving. "You know he's sensitive."

"That's half the fun... no, wait, that's all the fun. Come on, lighten up... he's got to let some steam off without knocking you up again."

Sam raised an eyebrow at him and then went back to watching proceedings around the table. She smiled again, but her smile widened on seeing Teal'c on the other side of Grace from her. The Jaffa's presence had been a surprise orchestrated by Jack, partly because she would have found out sooner if Daniel had done it. Teal'c was hunched over a little as he conversed with a beaming Grace.

Sam reached over her daughter to gently rub Teal'c's shoulder affectionately, the Jaffa smiling slightly as he looked up at her, placing a hand over hers as he gave it a fond squeeze in return. He then went back to talking to Grace as the little girl tugged on his arm, and Sam patted his shoulder.

"Gracie. Let Uncle Teal'c eat in peace."

Grace looked disappointed and then ate the smallest of forkfuls before looking up at her mother challengingly. Sam raised an eyebrow. "Grace..."

Grace pouted and then slowly resumed eating before almost immediately going back to talking to an amused Teal'c. Some cheers drew the General's attention from the centre of the table to the other end of it where a shy Cassie and an even shyer fair-haired young man stood, the doctor waving at everyone in general. Sam instantly beamed on seeing them and was about to call out to them when Daniel beat her to it, calling giddily,

"Cassie!"

_'Daniel, you really are going to be embarrassed tomorrow.'_

_'Was that loud?'_

Daniel's exclamation resulted in some chuckles from those that were less drunk... which comprised of mostly everyone else, and Sam got up to greet the newcomers. She hugged Cassie ebulliently, saying, still looking surprised,

"I thought you couldn't make it!"

Cassie smirked as Sam seated them, the Hankan giving her a medium-sized parcel. "Well, you know... wouldn't miss have missed it for the world. Happy birthday."

Sam leaned down to kiss the younger woman on the cheek and grinned at the present that she held. "Thank you." She then looked at the man who had accompanied her. "As for you, Simon... nice to see you again."

Simon replied politely, shaking Sam's proffered hand, "Thanks, General. Happy birthday."

"Hey, what have I told you about that?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Sam."

Sam gave his shoulder a squeeze and had barely returned to her seat when everyone began to sing Happy Birthday. The General looked momentarily confused and then stunned as a waiter wheeled out a large multi-tiered cake with many candles on it as other diners turned to look at Sam's table out of curiosity, some joining in with the singing.

Sam stared at the blazing cake as its trolley finally came to a stop next to her, seeing in the flickering flames not only the passing of time, but the hopes and dreams of her friends and family, of her and Daniel, of the thousands upon millions of people that she had encountered during her travels; the number of times she and Daniel had been separated and the times they had been reunited, overcoming death and many, many odds. She saw too the hopes of Cam and Vala despite her dark haired friend having lost her baby a couple of months previously, the flame symbolising the eternal nature of both love and hope and that the darkness that occasionally returned to their lives would always be temporary.

Tears in her eyes, she turned to look at her friends, memorising the laughter and the happiness, and she began to physically glow, not just from the candle light now that the restaurant's lights had been dimmed but because something within her snapped, with something indescribable bursting forth within her.

"Thank you."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel, still tipsy, was perplexed as he stood on the upstairs landing that night, watching Sam rushing this way and that as she settled all of the children down, a smile never leaving her face as she hummed merrily. He sighed softly, closing his eyes as he leaned against a wall, feeling something from her more intense than he had ever done previously.

She was happy.

Very happy.

He frowned as she emerged from one room, closing the door behind her before going into another room, holding a whimpering Greg to her hip as she continued to hum. She was glowing again. He thought he had been seeing things in his state of mild inebriation earlier when she had appeared to glow at the restaurant. But she was doing it again, and this time he knew that he wasn't hallucinating... or if he was, it was a very strong hallucination.

He slowly went to the doorway of Grace's bedroom, watching Sam continue to glow as she knelt down at the side of Grace's bed to kiss their third youngest child on the forehead. Daniel couldn't help but smile dopily as he watched Sam talk softly to the little girl before slowly getting up. Sam smiled as she kissed Daniel on the cheek before saying to Greg as they left the room,

"Now, you, young man, bed."

Greg, his face red, began to cry louder, and Sam, frowning slightly, bounced him on her shoulder, whispering as she rubbed his back, "Sshh... it's ok... you're just getting some new teeth." She kissed him on the forehead, saying over her shoulder to a concerned Daniel,

"I'll be back in a minute."

Before Daniel could react, she and Greg disappeared in a flash of bluish-white light before re-appearing within a few seconds, the baby gnawing on a teething ring and beginning to look calmer. Smiling as she looked down at him, she whispered, "No more excuses."

Daniel, smiling again, followed her into the babies' room where Dani was already asleep. The Archaeologist leaned down into her crib to stroke her cheek gently and then he looked down at Greg as the boy lie on his back, his legs waving. Daniel sidled up next to Sam, who was leaning over Greg's crib, and he kissed her.

He suddenly grinned when he pulled back, seeing her face alive with happiness. "You're happy."

She smiled. "I know."

"You're really happy."

She caressed his cheek and then looked down as their son wiggled more as he gurgled. Daniel murmured as he looked down at the baby and then at Sam,

"You never stroke his stomach... otherwise he'd be asleep first."

She shook her head. "I tried it... but apparently Daddy here doesn't do it for him. He's a Mommy's boy."

Daniel chuckled briefly. "Ohh... he and Jimmy are going to be so confused when we tell them the truth." He then reached down into the crib, gently smoothing his baby son's stomach as Sam slipped an arm around his waist, resting her head against his. Soon, Greg's teething ring fell to the side as the baby began to drift off to sleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In the lounge downstairs, as Daniel wrapped his arms around her from behind, Sam rested her head back against his shoulder as she sighed softly, very powerful feelings of being protected and of being loved, swamping her senses. She smiled as she stroked one of the arms that was around her waist as they looked out of the front window into the night. For a long time, nothing was said, until finally Daniel's concern grew until it was unbearable for both to remain silent any longer.

"What happened? Despite me already knowing vaguely, you still won't say anything."

Sam's smile melted as tears welled in her eyes. She closed her eyes and replied, upset, "Vala lost her baby. She didn't even know she was pregnant. It was back in February, not that long after Jimmy and Cammie turned seven. Cam and Jonas were trying their hand at barbecuing in Cam's backyard, and Vala was so happy." She chewed her lip. "She just collapsed... she was in so much pain and no-one knew what it was. I managed to ease her pain on the ride to the mountain... but she was in tears. I've never seen Vala cry like that." She lowered her head as she continued in a broken whisper, "She was having a miscarriage. There was all this blood and..." She couldn't help but cry as she finally unburdened her soul to Daniel about something that had she been reluctant to tell him about previously. "And I can still hear her crying when they told her what was happening to her. She wouldn't talk for weeks, and poor Cam was as white as a sheet. I looked after Francis and Sam during the first couple of weeks."

Daniel now felt even more guilty for his time away despite knowing that his presence wouldn't have changed things too much as far as Vala had been concerned. He kissed her brow and rested his head against hers, whispering sadly,

"It explains the pain... she's doing well though."

Sam nodded. "She got over the worst of it. She tried to be strong but I stopped visiting with the kids because I knew how traumatic it was for her whenever she saw me with Greg or Dani. She still thinks that she could have done something, that she should have known... but I think you helped her tonight. I've never seen her so at peace since before it happened... and she was laughing again..." She chuckled. "... when you started doing impressions of Jack, Cam, Jonas and Teal'c... and even Mark... oh, and Woolsey."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, with Francis and Samantha asleep, Cam lie on his back on his and Vala's bed, watching Vala as she sat at her dresser in her pyjamas, brushing her long dark hair. His hands clasped under his head, he watched her, noticing how much more relaxed she was as she practically gushed about their evening.

"... I don't know why we don't get Daniel drunk more often... he's a lot more fun..."

Cam chuckled briefly. "Somehow I don't think Sam's gonna let you do that."

She put the brush down and turned to face him with a little smile. "I thought not."

"How are you feeling?"

She replied, looking a lot happier in general, "Much better."

He smiled, bemused as she flounced to the bed and lie next to him. She rested her hand on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, and he realised that despite the recent burst of happiness, she was still in pain, but it was getting better. He smoothed her waist and her back, and said softly as she closed her eyes, her fragile emotional state just beneath the surface,

"We're going to get through this, Vala. I need you to understand that."

She nodded, and he continued as he touched her cheek, her eyes opening, "I'm here for you... I know we're not as flashy as Sam and Jackson with their Ancient powers, but I want to know if you're hurting, ok? And before you say it, I'm supposed to be worried about you. I'd be a lame husband and an equally lame friend to you if I wasn't."

Her gaze shifted from his eyes to his chest as she replied softly, "I know, Cameron. And I'm grateful... I just don't really know how to share things... I'm not used to it. I mean, with my previous relationships and trysts, it was imperative of me to keep secrets... it usually was a matter of life and death... but with you, I don't have to hide... and that scares me sometimes."

"Only sometimes, huh?"

She smiled, laughing softly, and he said with his own smile, "It's great to see you smiling again. Jackson can talk the hind legs off a donkey and sell them back to the donkey as well... even more so when he's drunk as well as happy." He touched her cheek. "If it was any other guy drunk, I wouldn't have trusted him with you." When she looked affronted, he glared at her briefly. "Because you'd kill him as soon as he got fresh with you. Let me finish."

They smiled at each other, and he said as he gazed at her, his hand rubbing her shoulder, "Hey, we've got some leave coming up... wanna go somewhere?"

Her gaze dropped to his chest once again as she looked thoughtful, and then she looked at him. "I'd love to see New York. We never really go anywhere outside of Colorado... except for Kansas. Oh, and I went to England with Daniel... which was ages ago... and he wasn't very happy."

He chuckled. "Well, you did shackle yourself to him."

She shrugged. "I needed his help... and you know how Daniel is... he wouldn't have helped if he'd had a choice... especially after what happened the last time I encountered him."

He scratched his eyebrow, smirking. "Yeah. That younger Jackson we met in Egypt was so pissed at you."

"Exactly." She sighed as she turned to lie on her back, now looking pensive. She then looked at him. "I have changed, haven't I? I mean, I'm not... you know..."

He, hiding his sadness on noticing that she was doubting herself and doubting herself so openly, replied as he held her again, "You have. A lot. I know you only did the things you did because you had to... And you know, I admire you. You did what you had to do. That takes courage. And you changed because you were allowed to be yourself for once. You are a good person... I may not have always seen that before I got to know you, but I am glad that I did get to know you... and see the real you... because you are worth knowing."

He dried the silent tears that fell from her eyes as she looked at him accusingly. "How can you say that? How you lay there and tell me that I'm worth knowing... I... I lost the baby. I should have known..."

He looked at her in a surprise tinged with an overwhelming sadness, his wife having not been this open with him since her miscarriage. She had confided in Sam, but Cam knew that it was because it was easier for her to confide in Sam because she didn't feel she was being judged and plus she was another woman. The thought that his wife would think that he would judge her like that added to his pain.

He began to cry. He had never done that in front of anyone since being a small child. He had had a few reasons for tears of sadness over the years – the Prometheus being blown up with his old commanding officer on board; old friends dying, Vala's miscarriage... but while he had shed the odd involuntary tear in public, he had never downright cried in front of anyone. He had never let anyone see him cry. It looked bad for someone who led an off-world combat team.

But tonight, he did the one thing that he had never let anyone see him do in the past.

His voice wavering with heavy emotion, he looked at the ceiling, still embarrassed about his tears. "Dammit, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known... no-one knew. It just happened... it happened, and I fucked up in the emotional support department." He touched her cheek as she looked troubled. "Vala, don't do this to yourself. I love you... and it hurts me to see you like this. When I said that we'll get through this, I didn't say it for fun. I meant it." He reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "When you're ready... we'll try again. It's ok."

She asked hoarsely, looking scared, "What if I'm never ready?"

His eyes red-rimmed from his tears, he rubbed her jaw and neck. "Vala... I don't care. If you're never ready, we won't try. We didn't get married for the sex or the babies now did we..." He then wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him as he rested his head against her shoulder as she held onto him. "We'll just take each day as it comes... there's no rush." He kissed her neck and then her shoulder. "How are you feeling now?"

She groaned and remarked, making him smile and giving him fresh hope with regard to her recovery, "Quite good now... my usually emotionally reserved husband just cried." She slipped an arm around his shoulders as she began to relax in his arms. "I think we really are going to be ok." Her tone lowered. "It's just a lot to work through."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, Carolyn sat in Jonas' arms on their bed, their backs against the wall at the head of the bed as they looked through a photo album, Henry asleep in his own room. Jonas sighed softly as he kissed her temple, remarking with a chuckle,

"I think your Dad actually likes me."

Carolyn rested her head against his and smiled slowly. "I think so too..." She tilted her head upwards to look up at him. "I told you he does."

He looked sceptical. "I doubt it sometimes. He may have only been that, ah, nice at Adam's earlier because your Mom was there."

"He honestly does like you, Jo... he's just overcompensating for not being there for me much when I was younger, by being overprotective." She snorted derisively. "What am I, twelve?" She rubbed his thigh. "And even if he didn't like you, I wouldn't care... because I'm the one married to you, not him." She smiled again as she kissed his jaw. "Mom definitely likes you."

He reddened a little, remembering his mother-in-law's attempts at embarrassing him earlier. "I, ah, guessed."

"Don't worry about it... she has a peculiar sense of humour." She turned to a different page of the photo album on her knees, seeing a black and white photo of a young dark-haired man in full Air Force dress uniform, and another photo of a young winsome Vietnamese woman, amongst others. "If my grandfather was still around, he would have been much worse."

He slipped an arm around her shoulders, and he remarked with a chuckle after a long pause, "Hey... Daniel was rather, ah, funny tonight."

She rolled her eyes. "General O'Neill got him drunk as a means of entertainment. That poor man." She smiled. "But it was nice to see him so relaxed – you never see Daniel that relaxed... and Mom was rather taken by him. I'm just curious how he split his attention that many times. You do realise that he was having at least ten different conversations at one time?"

He smirked. "Hm. Well, Daniel's always been chatty."

"I'll say. He certainly cheered Vala up. I originally thought that Sam and Daniel had had another bust-up, but they must have planned for Vala to sit in between them so he could cheer her up. They've always been close... "

"It's what those two do though... Sam, and, ah, Daniel... They must have felt her pain."

Carolyn nodded thoughtfully as she rubbed Jonas' thigh again, and she asked, "Did you see how Sam glowed? I'm surprised that no-one else took much notice... because it was very risky, public setting and all... but I think it might be to do with her happiness. We know both hers and Daniel's powers are closely linked to their emotions. The last time she made that kind of a realisation, she took the Doctor and SG-1 to New England in 1965..."


	16. Favours

_Contains some spoilers for Atlantis season 5_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A stressed yet polite Sam, in her office at the SGC, sighed as she talked on the red phone, an elbow resting on her desk as she sat behind it. "Well, Sir, be that as it may... Doctor House would cause a riot within a week, and besides he's much too valuable here. He just doesn't work very well in new environments... and sending him away to Atlantis would..." She sighed and closed her eyes briefly. "Understood, Mr President."

Daniel entered the room quietly and Sam raised a finger at him, signalling him to wait as she continued, unconsciously pinching her the bridge of her nose the same way as her husband, "In principle, I agree with you... he could do with the experience, but..." She paused. "... he's a liability. And with all due respect, you're talking about him as if he was in the military." She paused once again. "Yes, but he does his best work when he's settled..." She finally nodded with a quiet sigh. "Yes Sir. I'll be sure to inform him of that too. Thanks."

She put the phone down and remarked, looking annoyed as Daniel turned from looking out of her window into the briefing room, to look at her in concern, "That man... if President Hayes was still in office, he would have listened." She clenched her fists on the desk surface in frustration before releasing a long breath to calm herself.

Daniel asked, slowly taking a seat opposite her, "President pushing you to send House to Atlantis again?"

She rolled her eyes as she rested her elbows on her desk and looked at him. "Yeah. He wants House to get some experience in Atlantis. If he'd been talking about Carolyn or Cassie, sure... but not House. Can you imagine the ruckus he would cause? Unfortunately, the President's more insistent now than ever now that we have Carolyn, Cassie and Carmichael." She rubbed her face. "Carson could use an extra hand, but I don't know..." She looked at Daniel again. "I have to send House to Atlantis... _or_ terminate his contract at the SGC."

He frowned in disbelief. "That's not fair."

"I know."

"Since when has the President taken interest in the medical aspect of the programme?"

She sighed once again. "Woolsey's twisted his arm about it what with House being a civilian, and highly-skilled at that. Carmichael, Brightman and MacKenzie are all Air Force... and it looks bad to the other member countries of the IOA to have American military doctors being largely responsible for the healthcare of an international expedition... and the Russians are already dubious about whether Carson's fit to be the CMO out there."

"Well, what has Jack said? Have you told him?"

"Jack offered to call in favours, but I couldn't let him do that... not for something as relatively inconsequential. I was hoping to persuade the President myself, but that hasn't worked. I'm just going to have to offer House Atlantis or the best damn employer reference he's ever had."

He shrugged with a brief smirk. "You could always just send him over and let him cause a riot, and then the President will have to agree with you."

"Think of the paperwork..."

"On second thoughts..."

They both smiled, and she then said, leaning forward a little, "There is some good news. I know how you've always wanted to do some more research on the Ancient who invented puddle jumpers – Janus – and the history of his scientific achievements... as well as the clues leading you to believe that his lab may still be hidden on Atlantis..." She smirked as he gradually looked stunned. "Jack's going to kill me, but I'm authorising you to go to Atlantis to carry out that research. And for once, it'll just be you... no team or wife to worry about."

Still looking stunned, he mentally shook himself before saying, "What? You're not coming?"

"The base commander doesn't get much in the way of fun while on duty." She waved dismissively. "Go on, enjoy yourself. You haven't been on something that hasn't been related to a mission in years..."

He looked confused and then defiant. "I left you once before... I'm not doing it again... so I'm going to have to take a rain check on that. Thanks Sam, I really appreciate what you're doing, what you've done, but I can't... it would be..."

She looked bemused and then said, pushing a small white envelope across the desk towards him, "It's on the table, Daniel. You don't have to take it up now. Take as long as you want."

He frowned as he picked up the envelope, looking down at it as he fiddled with it, and he looked up at her eventually, looking serious. "Sam." He sighed. "I learnt a long time ago that learning huge things means nothing if I have nothing to share them with." He swallowed as he looked down at the still unopened envelope and then back up at her once more. "I want you to come with me."

She looked moved by his words as she sighed, looking down at her hands. She then said, shaking her head, "Just go, Daniel. You don't have to drag me around everywhere."

He put the envelope back on the desk, pushing it back towards her. "Thanks, Sam, but no. I know I don't have to, but I want to."

"But you've always wanted to go... it's been ten years and the only times you managed to go were with the team or for those weddings."

He sighed. "I was single then... and had a different set of priorities."

She looked mildly perturbed at his willingness to sacrifice his own desires so easily. She then said with a soft smile, pushing the envelope back towards him, "Daniel. Go, we'll be fine. Go show them what the Milky Way has to offer."

He smiled, mentally conveying to her how grateful he was for the offer, and he remarked with a pout as she looked amused, "You know... I feel so used. I had to sleep with the commander of the SGC to get to go. I wonder if it would have worked with Jack..."

She smirked. "Just wait 'til Jack visits next. I'm surprised he hasn't deluged me with threats already."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"So... Atlantis or I get shipped back to NJ?"

Sam grimaced as she perched on the front of her desk, sipping from a mug as House sat in the visitor chair next to her in her office after Daniel had left. She replied, an arm across her stomach, "Yeah. Pretty much."

He appeared to be mulling over his options, and she sighed, looking down at him. "Look... I won't make you promise to be on your best behaviour..."

He nodded. "Yeah, I get it. I'm an ass, and you're hoping that I won't be as much of an ass out there." He shrugged and then looked up at her. "It's a lot to expect."

She sighed softly. "I figured. You know, it doesn't have to be permanent... if you're worried about Doctor Cuddy and your son..."

His face immediately became emotionless. "I'm not worried. What I don't get is why you're so upset about this."

She remarked defensively, "I am not upset!"

He smirked. "See? You're defensive now, because you know it's true. You're upset because the President's overruled you."

She shook her head, smiling briefly. "Oh... House, you think you know people. I'm upset about that... but that's not most of what I'm sad about." Her fingers tightened around the mug that she held as she looked thoughtful. "You're a good doctor... one of the best the mountain has ever had. You've changed so many lives... and the prospect of losing you to the Lantaeans... it's a little much. And that's not taking into account the stress you'll put me through during the next IOA review and all the paperwork when Doctor Sheppard complains about you."

He nodded in acknowledgement and she continued, "But if you don't want to go out there... I mean, if you want to, I'll let you, but if you don't... then I'll write you a reference that will get you a post at any hospital in the country... and if I pull a few strings, outside of the country as well... it's the least I can do after everything you've done for us."

He asked, carefully schooling his features into neutrality, "How long is the stint for?"

"Hmm. Well, six months to a year usually. You'll learn a lot more about medical care in Atlantis... more alien physiologies, although the Wraith aren't around any more. They have much more advanced medical facilities than we have. It could be an enriching experience for you."

He cocked his head to one side and remarked, "On the one hand, I get to stay in Daniel Disneyland for a while..." She smirked briefly in amusement at the term which he had picked up from Cam. "... or work anywhere in the country with men in black watching my every move and waiting for me to divulge classified information to anyone."

She shook her head. "House, the Trust won't come after you again."

"Even so." He exhaled as he looked up at the ceiling, and he then said with a shrug, "Well, I guess it would be good to explore Atlantis a lot more than I already did... and Doctor Beckett's not ridiculously nice like other people I've worked with. Sure."

She asked, hoping that he hadn't been forced into making the decision, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It'll be a breeze." He got up. "Well, if that's all... I've got to get back to the Optrican and Bedrosian refugees." He looked at Sam. "When do I leave?"

She smiled slightly. "The Daedalus is currently in orbit for a systems upgrade. Four hours." He looked at her, stunned, and she patted him on the shoulder, still smirking despite not wanting him to go. "I suggest you start packing now."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam, Jonas and Teal'c, in black BDUs, walked down the gate ramp towards Sam, who was dressed in blue fatigues, the General saying with a little smile tinged with wistfulness as they stopped in front of her, "Welcome back, SG-1. How did it go?"

Jonas looked at Cam worriedly as Teal'c remained impassive, and the Colonel replied with a tight grimace, "For us, not so bad... but for everyone else, not so good. The Free Jaffa and the Lucian Alliance thing is heating up again. Round 3 had the Tok'ra being tagged in after one of theirs got caught in a Jaffa-Lucian blast off." Sam sighed as she left the gateroom with the team, and Jonas picked up from where Cam had left off,

"Because Daniel's been busy, Bra'tac led a delegation to a neutral planet to negotiate with Ventrell and his people. There was a suicide bomber... Tok'ra intel suggests that it may have been a member of Illac Renin, which has been strongly denied by the group, and has worsened the, ah, in-fighting amongst the Jaffa. Ventrell and half his men were taken out, and Bra'tac lost some men too. The Tok'ra lost people too. Since then, acts of, ah, retribution have flared up... which led to the Tok'ra sabotaging a Lucian plan to attack Dakara."

Teal'c cleared his throat as they turned a corner in the corridor. "This has understandably increased tensions between the Jaffa and the Lucian Alliance. The Alliance have launched attacks on Jaffa populated areas throughout this sector using appropriated Goa'uld technology."

Sam sighed once again. "Never rains but it pours. It's good to see the Tok'ra and the Jaffa on the same page again."

"Indeed. The situation has greatly improved... but it will be a considerable time before peace can once more be achieved."

"Looks like it. Well, for the time being we're just going to have to observe the situation. If it gets worse, we'll deploy the Jacksonator with his amazing treaty writing skills."

Cam and Jonas chuckled as Teal'c smiled slightly, and she asked Teal'c, glancing at him as they entered the Infirmary, "Are you going straight back to Hak'tyl, or are you staying a while longer?"

Teal'c replied as Carolyn smiled at Jonas, resisting the urge to hug him in front of the rest of the team, "I will return to Ish'ta. It is imperative that I participate in the rituals that are customary prior to a matrimonial ceremony."

The humans exchanged confused, shocked and then surprised looks as Teal'c simply smirked, and Cam patted him on the back in congratulations as Jonas remarked with a grin, "Grandpa Teal'c's finally getting married!"

Teal'c retorted grimly as Sam and Cam grinned, "I have warned you on prior occasions, JonasQuinn, with regard to referring to me as 'Grandpa'. Thank providence that I am sparing you a castration on the grounds that I would sadden your Sim'ka."

Cam remarked with a chuckle, glancing a now gulping Jonas, "Come on, T... scaring Jonas is old. Nice display of chivalry though."


	17. Size 11 Mary Janes

Sam, covered in oil smudges, lie under a propped up orangey-red vintage Jeep on the Carter-Jackson driveway one lazy afternoon, fiddling with the car's undercarriage. Next to her was James who watched her actions intently, a determined frown on his face. She said, reaching over to him, her other hand holding something in place,

"Number seven, Jimmy."

James handed her a screwdriver from the front pocket of his denim dungarees, and she smiled slightly, saying as she worked on tightening something else, "Thanks."

She glanced at him again, noting how hard he was concentrating, and she was reminded of the little boy's older self in Atlantis, and how that James had rewired Asgard technology with her to defend the City from the Wraith while she had been pregnant with Claire and Jake. She smiled wistfully and then asked with an amused smirk as she pulled apart something else,

"Do you know how long Daddy's had this car?"

He broke off his concentration to look at her as he replied, "I don't know. Dad said it was a long time."

She chuckled briefly. "It's before we got married... way before." Her smile faded as she remembered the first time that Daniel had Ascended. "Before we even started going out. After he came home from being missing."

"But that was ages ago!"

She couldn't help but smile at the exclamation as she continued to work. "Hey, it's not that long... Eleven years."

"Yeah, but I'm seven, and seven years is a long time." He giggled when she shot him a look. "Dad must be really old."

She pointed a screwdriver at him semi-meaningfully as he now feigned innocence. "You, young man, are going to get into a lot of trouble if you keep saying things like that." She chuckled as she looked back up at her work. "You're just lucky Uncle Jack's got a lower mental age than you, otherwise he would have been really mad at being called Cretaceous."

"But he doesn't know what Cretaceous means. He thought it was a special Happy Meal."

She snorted with laughter, and then gently rebuked him. "Junior, I think you'll find that your Uncle Jack is cleverer than he lets on."

"I don't see it."

She smiled slightly. "You will one day." She then cleared her throat and said, pointing to some exposed wires with her screwdriver as James once again concentrated, "Now this is the wiring for the headlamp on this side. We'd usually do this from the top, but seeing as we were under here anyway to replace the bearings, springs, and the oil filter, we might as well do this here too."

She chuckled once again as she got to work. "Eleven years... and in all of that time, I've practically rebuilt this car. Daddy insisted on driving this thing." She laughed again and sighed on hearing Daniel's voice in her head.

_'Well, at least you didn't call it a rust bucket like you did the last time you scorned my choice of car.'_

_'Honey, why don't you sell it? It's taking more and more work to keep it drivable, and you rarely use it 'cos it's a two-seater.'_

She smiled more, knowing that wherever he was, he was pouting. _'I like it.'_

_'What, because your favourite Astrophysicist is the only one who's kept it going this past decade? I told you it was a mistake when you first bought it.'_

_'Yeah, when you were mooning over Jack.'_

She frowned at the bitter tone the conversation had taken, and she retorted, _'What the fuck was that?'_

She felt his apology before she had rebuked him, as well as a wave of old pain and weariness._ 'Sorry Sam... I'm getting defensive again. I shouldn't have said that. It's just that I've changed so much, and I just wanted one thing to remind me of my parents, so I know that I'm still 'Daniel Jackson'.' _He paused._ 'The Jack thing was uncalled for. I'm sorry. He's teeing me off at the moment.'_

She raised an eyebrow, glancing at James to make sure that the boy was still focussed on what she was doing._ 'Yeah, I figured you would be, otherwise it would have come down to something pretty painful for you.'_ She sighed softly, her frown lifting._ 'I know, Daniel. There were similar Jeeps when we went back to Deir-el-Medina in 1964.' _Her countenance brightened. _'So, what are you doing?'_

She smiled at the incredulous note in his voice. _'Surely you know.'_

_'Yeah but Daniel, I like feeling human.'_

_'And you do this by talking telepathically...?'_

She rolled her eyes._ 'Daniel...'_

_'Fine... You know, Jack's really playing on the gay thing.'_

She chuckled as James looked at her in bemusement. _'Oh yeah, I heard... actually, I felt him hold your hand when those single Moms were flirting with you. Tell him I'm sending him back to D.C. with a lot of pies.'_

She smiled on hearing Daniel talk to Jack, her smile widening on hearing Jack's reply that if Daniel messed her around, he would marry her... if only for her pies, and Daniel asked, _'Did you get that?'_

_'Yep, sure did. Sara's going to be pissed when she hears that.'_

_'Meh... she's with Vala in the store café. They're either lazy or they actually trust me to get the right shoes for the kids, even with Jack hanging around me.'_

_'Well... you know what you're doing. That would be a relief to any woman... and it must be a relief to Sara that you're there, moderating Jack's behaviour.'_

_'Moderating. Right... That man asked the assistant earlier for size eleven Mary Janes.'_

She snorted with laughter at the rather surreal thought of Jack in clunky strapped girls' shoes. _'I would ordinarily express my disbelief at that, but I heard it. The assistant's face was priceless... you should have had your cell out to take a picture.'_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, now kneeling on the driveway in front of the Jeep, her clothing, skin and hair streaked and smudged with motor oil, managed to extract the jack from under the car after lowering it to the ground, keeping a cautious eye out for where James was. She remarked with a smile, now loosening the joints on the jack and folding it up as James watched,

"We did good today, didn't we?"

He nodded, and they stood, walking back to the open garage as she said, looking down at him with a little smile, "Next time, I'm going to get you to rewire the headlamp. Do you think you can do that?"

He nodded again. "I think so." He looked up at her, scowling when she affectionately ruffled his hair. "Can we work on your car next time?"

She grimaced a little. "Um... I'm not sure you're ready to work on something that we can't afford to damage." She smiled down at him again as she put the jack away and then stepped outside with him to lock up the garage. "I'll tell you what... the next time I'm working on my car, you can watch... but no touching until I'm sure you know what you're doing, ok?"

"Sure, Mom."

They both turned towards the road on hearing a car pull up and they smiled on seeing Cam's car, the Colonel waving briefly as he parked up at the kerb. Sam ruffled her son's hair again before they walked towards the car as more cars pulled up behind, the General's smile growing on seeing Daniel, Jack and Teal'c in one of them.


	18. Front Porch

_Lyrics featured are Walking in Memphis, by Marc Cohn (or Lonestar because of Cam's accent); Jackson, by Johnny Cash and June Carter; Matthew, by John Denver; My Front Porch Looking In, by Lonestar; and a parody song that I found on YouTube (but whose actual title and artist isn't given) titled 'Best Country Song Ever', uploaded by jbr2343. Only got a part of the song here but check out YouTube for the full song by all means – it's lmao-worthy._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With the noise of children, the Jacks and the rest of SG-1 laughing and messing about both within the house and outside, a much cleaner Sam smiled to herself as she dried some pans that she had just washed. Her smile faded for a moment and then she looked thoughtful. After putting the pans away, as she dried her hands with a tea towel, she looked out of the kitchen window as she thought about everything that had happened since Daniel had left with the Doctor over half a year previously.

Her smile returned on sensing something and she visibly relaxed, her previously tense shoulders dropping.

_'How did you know?'_

_'Daniel, I'd know you in the dark.'_

_'Just as well.'_

She closed her eyes as she felt herself in a familiar warm embrace, and felt herself surrounded by a deep and unending love. She rubbed one of Daniel's arms as he nuzzled her neck, and he asked, his chin resting against her shoulder as he gazed at her in concern,

"What's up?"

Chuckling softly, she turned to look at him, remarking in bemusement, "You're an empath..."

He shrugged with a teasing grin. "Well, I like feeling human once in a while like that insane Astrophysicist of mine."

He rubbed her stomach and continued cheekily, "And you know what motor oil does to me." She raised an eyebrow at him in bemusement and then couldn't help but squeal when he tickled her. Grinning, she turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck. A serious expression shifting onto his face, he touched her cheek. "Sam... I know we're always saying it but... we're going to be okay."

Her smile gone, she nodded, glancing downwards before looking at him with months of pain and confusing emotions reflected in her eyes. "I know." They gazed at each other for a long moment before he gently kissed her. Smiling, she threaded her fingers through his hair, carefully pushing herself up against him as she returned his kiss, silently telling him how much she loved him and hearing and feeling his equally as silent reply.

His face bright with happiness at first, but then dimming ever so slightly as he thought of what he had been through, he touched her cheek once again. "I... I don't deserve you, Sam. Not as much as my older self. He went through hell and more without you... and I don't want to know what that felt like. I can imagine it but..." He shook his head and sighed as he felt her sadness. "But you know what, Samantha Carter-Jackson..." He smiled as he kissed her. "You made me the man that I am today."

Tears brimming in her eyes, she sniffed and then hugged him, touched by the sentiments of his words, and feeling the depths of sincerity beneath them. She said quietly as he too held onto her, his head resting against hers, "You've changed me, Daniel. Before, in each relationship that I've had, I've always felt the need to prove myself or even compromise myself... but with you, I don't have to do that. I can be me... and, God, that is one of the best feelings in the world. I know I don't have to prove myself to you and look where I am now..." She smiled despite her tears as she gazed up at him. "You gave me the children I thought that I would never have... and... I'm a General. And there's the Ancient stuff which scares me half to death most of the time. All those other universes where we weren't already an item, I stayed a Colonel... or even a Major." She kissed him as he frowned ever so slightly. "But with you... you've let me believe in myself, in my abilities... and showed me that I don't have to compromise anything." More tears suddenly coming, she whispered before burying her face in his shoulder, "Thank you."

He shook his head. "You didn't need me to do that. You're a strong person... you worked hard to get to where you are now."

She smiled as she kissed him. "Idiot."

He stared at her in confusion. "What did I do now?"

"You're underestimating yourself again."

He remarked teasingly, "If it gets me kisses, I can hide under the table with a scarily low self-esteem if you want."

She laughed. "Oh Daniel... you should know... you don't have to consciously do anything."

He was about to reply when they both turned in the vague direction of the front door on hearing a guitar strumming. They glanced at each other in amusement and then back again on hearing Cam singing outside.

"_Put on my blue suede shoes  
And I boarded the plane..._"

They looked at each other again, still amused, and Daniel said, "Mitchell's been trying to get me to join in for a while now."

_  
_"_Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues  
In the middle of the pouring rain..._"

"... and he's been conspiring with Junior to get my guitar. Honestly, that boy... he's got a problem with authority."

_  
_"_W.C. Handy -- won't you look down over me  
Yeah I got a first class ticket  
But I'm as blue as a boy can be..._"

Sam laughed at the look of mild frustration on Daniel's face. "Like father, like son... well, mother in your case."

"Yeah, rub it in..."

"_Then I'm walking in Memphis  
Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale  
Walking in Memphis  
But do I really feel the way I feel..._"

She gently rubbed the back of his neck. "Why don't you?"

He shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. "I've never really played in front of the guys before. It'll be embarrassing."

"_Saw the ghost of Elvis  
On Union Avenue  
Followed him up to the gates of Graceland  
Then I watched him walk right through_..."

"You've played the piano and even sung in front of them before now."

He pouted. "But I couldn't see them... and you know what happened the last time I did that. Jack laughed at me."

"_Now security they did not see him  
They just hovered 'round his tomb  
But there's a pretty little thing  
Waiting for the King  
Down in the Jungle Room_..."

She rolled her eyes, looking indignant. "Daniel Jackson, since when have you given a flying crap about what Jack says?"

He smiled slightly as he touched the tip of her nose affectionately. "Well, he always said that I made him go grey initially... he might start losing hair if I keep sparring with him."

"Come on Daniel..." She took his hand and remarked teasingly, "... Cam might just be better than you anyway..."

Daniel rolled his eyes and then they heard the strumming change, picking up pace as the Colonel deliberately sang louder.

"_We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout,  
We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out.  
I'm goin' to Jackson, I'm gonna mess around,  
Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson,  
Look out Jackson town..._"

Sam laughed as Daniel silently plotted the Colonel's downfall, and Jack's as the old General could be heard to join in. "That's your cue. Knock him dead."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Out the front of the Carter-Jackson residence as the Carter-Jackson children played with Francis, the Carter-Jackson, Mitchell and Quinn babies lie on blankets on the porch, squealing, and waving their limbs about periodically as Jonas, Cassie and mini-Jack entertained them. As Teal'c and Jack leaned against a railing, smirking in amusement at the proceedings, Cam sat near the top step of the porch with a guitar, arguing with a reluctant looking Daniel. Sam, picking up a now whimpering Henry and soothing him as Carolyn emerged onto the porch with Sara, sat next to Vala on the top step, asking as she glanced at her, "How are you feeling?"

Vala nodded and smiled a much easier smile than she had in a long while. "Quite good, Samantha."

Her eyes wandered to Henry who stared at her from Sam's lap, and Sam gave her alien friend's shoulder a supportive squeeze and said, "You look much better. You know any time you..."

Vala smiled gratefully at the General as Cam and Daniel continued to argue. "I know. Thank you."

Vala's head then shot back to look at her husband and close friend. "Boys, you're giving me a headache." She looked at Daniel. "If you get your guitar, it should shut him up for a few hours."

Daniel remarked with a tiny smile as Sam looked amused while Cam offered his wife and Daniel a characteristic glare, "Like that would ever happen."

Cam called in the direction of the children, "Hey Junior, get your Daddy's guitar."

James' head shot up from the group of children, the boy looking excited, and the adults, amused, quickly moved aside as the seven year old barrelled towards them. Sam called after the boy as he ran into the house,

"Jimmy, slow down."

Cammie followed, walking rather than running and Sam patted the little girl's back affectionately as James called back from inside the house, "Sorry, Mom!"

Sam said to Cammie who stopped to look at the baby, "Make sure he doesn't fall over with it."

Cammie nodded and replied with a smile as Henry held onto her finger, "Ok, Mom."

When Cammie had disappeared into the house, Sam, looking amused, tilted her head back to look up at Daniel. "He gets that from you."

Jack remarked as Daniel caressed her hair with a little smile as Cam laughed, "The number of things that man broke in the early years..."

Daniel shot back, "At least I didn't go breaking technology by poking it."

"Hey!" Jack paused. "I didn't go getting into trouble by being the galaxy's friendliest linguist!"

Teal'c's eyebrow shot up. "You have neglected to defend yourself against DanielJackson's accusation."

As mini-Jack looked up out of interest, Jack shrugged. "I didn't want to rub in the fact that me poking things made things work within seconds after he, his missus and the SGC geek gang had spent a week pulling their hair out over it."

Daniel opened his mouth to dish out a retort when Sam said, looking up at them both in warning, "Boys... can it."

Daniel couldn't help but smirk as Jack floundered, and then everyone's attention was drawn to the front door as an indignant looking Cammie emerged from the house with a light brown coloured guitar. Behind her was a flushed and still excited James. Cammie gave the guitar to Daniel, who thanked her, and she said, frowning,

"Jimmy almost dropped it down the stairs."

James retorted, "Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

As the others looked amused, Daniel said, looking stern, "James, Cameron... stop it." The twins stopped, looking chastised, and then James nudged Cammie. An annoyed Cammie pushed him over with both hands, the boy landing on his back over the threshold of the door. As she stormed off back to the other children, Daniel, handing his guitar to Jack, quickly picked a now bawling James up as Sam handed Henry to Vala before going after Cammie.

The General grabbed the little girl by the arm and said, not looking impressed, "Cameron, say sorry to your brother." When Cammie looked about to object, Sam said, looking very stern, "Now. If you ever do that again, you're grounded for a week."

"But he hit me!"

"And Daddy's having a word with him about that. Now go and say sorry to him."

They turned, about to go back to the porch when they saw James climb down from Daniel's lap and approach them shyly, tears on his face. Sam said to him, looking disappointed, "If I ever see you hit your sister again, you're grounded, do you understand?"

James nodded and then said to Cammie before burying his face in his mother's leg, "Sorry."

Sam smoothed his dark blonde hair as Cammie replied, touching his shoulder, "I'm sorry too, Jimmy." She kissed her brother on the cheek before going back to the other children, and Sam smiled. She then kneeled in front of James and dried his tears, saying,

"You can't hit Cammie and not expect to be hit back. You shouldn't even be hitting her... or anyone in the first place."

James nodded and then said, looking scared, "I almost dropped the guitar on the stairs. I'm sorry."

She smoothed his hair back affectionately. "Thanks for telling the truth." She kissed him on the cheek and said, glancing at the group of children as Cammie saved a book from Francis' mouth, "Go on before Francis eats your homework."

_'You know, I would have doubled his allowance if he'd actually dropped this damn thing.'_

_'Daniel!'_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With Sam seated next to Vala once more, Cam, looking triumphant, strummed on his guitar, saying, "Well... you know we were thinking of 'Matthew' before Dad and Jackson birthed Francis... so I used to sing this to him before he found it funny to throw things at my head..."

Daniel, recognising the song, smiled slightly as he joined in on his guitar as Cam began to sing, Vala resting her head against his knee as she held their Samantha.

"_Had an uncle named Matthew  
Was his father's only boy  
Born just south of Colby, Kansas  
Was his mother's pride and joy_

_Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on  
Love was just the way to live and die  
Gold was just a windy Kansas wheat field  
Blue, just a Kansas summer sky..._"

Cam nodded at Daniel as a cue for him to join in, but the Archaeologist remarked, "You do know that Francis is your son... not your uncle, right?"

Cam rolled his eyes. "Is 'stater of the obvious' in your job description?"

"I don't know, but 'aggravating Colonels' definitely is."

Jack smiled proudly at the remark before remembering that he should be annoyed. "Hey!" He then smirked as Daniel looked at him. "And a fine job you did."

Daniel smiled and began to sing when Sam rested her hand on his knee, smiling up at him.

"_All the stories that he told me  
Back when I was just a lad  
All the memories that he gave me  
All the good times that he had_

_Growing up a Kansas farmboy  
Life was mostly having fun  
Riding on his Daddy's shoulders  
Behind a mule beneath the sun..._"

Cam joined in, the two men singing together as everyone else smiled.

"_Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on  
Love was just the way to live and die  
Gold was just a windy Kansas wheatfield  
Blue is just a Kansas summer sky..._"

Sam said with a smile, glancing at a happy looking Vala, "I like that one."

Daniel, looking at Cam challengingly, said in reply to Sam, "I know one that you're going to love."

Jack remarked sarcastically, noticing the look, "Oh yeah, definitely heating up now. Next you'll be going Hendrix on each other." He stage whispered to Teal'c, "Hide the matches, T."

Daniel played a different tune and Cam frowned before saying, looking amazed, "You actually know a Lonestar song? Why wasn't I informed of this?!"

Daniel shrugged as he continued to play, looking down at his guitar. "This Archaeologist doesn't just look good."

Cam looked amused as Sam laughed while Jack looked stunned as Daniel began to sing, the Colonel only joining in with his guitar.

"_The only ground I ever owned was sticking to my shoes  
Now I look at my front porch and this panoramic view  
I can sit and watch the fields fill up  
With rays of glowing sun  
Or watch the moon lay on the fences  
Like that's where it was hung  
My blessings are in front of me  
It's not about the land  
I'll never beat the view  
From my front porch looking in..._"

Daniel smiled down at Sam who rested her head against his knee as she held Grace in her lap. '_Feel free to point out the inaccuracies in the next verse._'

An ebullient Cam joined in as did Teal'c, much to everyone else's surprise.

"_There's a carrot top who can barely walk  
With a sippy cup of milk  
A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong  
'Cause she likes to dress herself  
And the most beautiful girl holding both of them  
And the view I love the most  
Is my front porch looking in, yeah..._"

A grinning Cassie and Jonas began to clap in time to the music as Sara and Jack tapped their feet. Jack asked Teal'c, nudging him, "You know this one?"

Teal'c replied, an eyebrow rising once again, "Evidently."

Daniel and Cam turned back from looking at the pair with interest, and Daniel continued the song as some of the children drew nearer, sitting at Sam and Vala's feet while Cam mentally brainstormed some country classics to get the Archaeologist to sing later on.

"_I've travelled here and everywhere  
Following my job  
I've seen the paintings from the air  
Brushed by the hand of God..._"

As Daniel gazed down at Sam, he thought back to the wonders that the Doctor had shown him – the many alien sunsets and landscapes, flora and fauna, cultures and languages, peoples and escapades, time and space. A tear threatened to fall as he recalled how he had wanted each time to share each wonder with Sam... how sometimes he would turn, about to call for Sam and then realising that she wasn't there and that there was a chance that she never would be. He then remembered watching an older version of herself die as an indirect result of his perceived stupidity, and hoped that that timeline would never come to fruition. He allowed himself to smile as he gazed down at the fair head that was next to his knee, understanding blue eyes that looked up at him, feeling exactly what he was feeling, and reassuring him that things weren't going to happen the way that they could have.

_  
_"_The mountains and the canyons reach from sea to shining sea  
But I can't wait to get back home  
To the one he made for me  
It's anywhere I'll ever go and everywhere I've been  
Nothing takes my breath away  
Like my front porch looking in..._"

Jack turned to face Sara, who gazed at him and then inconspicuously moved to stand next to him as he, with the same inconspicuousness, reached for her hand. They both felt as though the more than ten years hiatus in their relationship, while fraught with pain and repressed feelings, had given them time to appreciate each other a lot more and what they meant to each other, letting their bond deepen and mature. Jack in particular recalled his travels with SG-1 and the things he had done since Charlie's passing, and how, in retrospect, it had all led him back to Sara. 

"_There's a carrot top who can barely walk  
With a sippy cup of milk  
A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong  
'Cause she likes to dress herself  
And the most beautiful girl holding both of them  
Yeah the view I love the most  
Is my front porch looking in..._"

Jonas, kneeling next to the rest of the babies which were now beginning to drift off, smiled at Carolyn as she kneeled down next to him to pick up Henry. As she lifted their son, they gazed at each other with little smiles, looking forward to the future, and perhaps to the prospect of giving Henry a sibling when he was old enough, and when Carolyn had forgotten just how much hard work was involved in childbirth. 

"_I see what beautiful is about  
When I'm looking in  
Not when I'm looking out_

_There's a carrot top who can barely walk  
With a sippy cup of milk  
A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong  
'Cause she likes to dress herself  
And the most beautiful girl holding both of them  
Yeah the view I love the most_

_Oh, the view I love the most  
Is my front porch looking in..._"

Cassie watched Carolyn and Jonas, Cam and Vala, Sara and Jack, and Sam and Daniel, wondering if she and Simon would get all soppy over songs. The youthful part of her was tempted to roll her eyes, but another part of her smiled warmly at the prospect of seeing the beauty of things that she had never really taken the time to consider previously. She then looked at mini-Jack, who pretended to be distracted by his mobile as he idly flicked through it, but she noticed him periodically looking up at Jack and Sara, Sara in particular, with a deep pain showing in his eyes. Cassie touched mini-Jack's shoulder and when he looked at her, she reached for his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. His lips quirked a little and he nodded, knowing that her silent promise that things would change was already a work in progress in his blossoming albeit volatile relationship with Major Hailey.

The song over, a huge cheer rang up as Daniel looked embarrassed, the Archaeologist grimacing a little as he propped his guitar up against a wall as Jack smiled, still holding Sara's hand as Teal'c took to smoothing Daniel's hair affectionately.

Cam remarked, amused at Daniel's embarrassment, "Oh no you don't, Jackson. I've always wanted to sing Walking in Memphis with you."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "One: that just sounds wrong on so many levels..." Jack smirked proudly at the snarky tone that Daniel had expressed his remark in. "And two: you only sing it when you're being nostalgic about where you were born... although you don't remember much of it."

Cam glared at him. "Come on."

Sam kissed the top of Grace's head and then said, looking up at Daniel, "Come on, Daniel. You're doing great." She added silently, '_Even Jack's not laughing at you. He's holding Sara's hand._'

_'Seriously?'_

_'Seriously.'_

_'Wow.'_

She sighed with a smile on her face as she rested her head against his knee again, feeling him mentally hold her, and then Cam began to strum on his guitar again, starting to sing as Vala suddenly looked highly amused on recognising the tune.

"_I got home and the door was locked__  
An' I tried to ring the bell__  
I found a little bitty note that she had wrote  
__Tellin' me to go to hell__  
I crawled in a window, I got inside__  
She kicked me in the balls  
And then I cried..._"

Sam barely stifled an embarrassed laugh as she instinctively covered Grace's ears with her hands as Daniel, Jack, mini-Jack, Carolyn, and Jonas' eyebrows almost made a collective attempt to soar into outer space as Teal'c looked amused while Cam looked nonchalant.

"_She called me a name__  
Said I lied__  
Kicked me again__  
An' I thought I'd died__  
Took my clothes and set 'em on fire__  
An' hit me with her curlin' iron  
__I tried to block it with my watch__  
Then she kicked me in the crotch again  
Yeah, today's the day my wife met my girlfriend..._"

As the others except for Vala looked stunned, even more so as Francis joined in, in parts, Jack eventually remarked, looking a little uneasy, "That's a lesson for ya, Mitchell... can totally see Vala doing that to you if you play the field... although... I don't want to see it. It's too disturbing."

Teal'c added, looking thoughtful, which resulted in a sudden eruption of laughter from the others, "It is a most apt punishment for philandery, although perhaps castration or dismemberment could be involved."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Ooh. Scary. One more chapter left. Hope you're enjoying it so far._


	19. The Rose

_Lyrics featured are When a Woman Loves a Man by Westlife; and The Rose, also by Westlife (cover). _

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"_When the stars are in her eyes  
And the sun is in her smile  
The only moment in a life  
That happens the same time  
Is when a woman loves a man..._"

Daniel and Sam sat on wooden bleachers overlooking a considerably muddy school field as two teams of small children played soccer. The proud parents were surrounded by many more parents and families, many of whom were cheering their children on; whistling and applauding at different points of the game. Daniel, holding Greg in his lap as Sam held Dani, waved at Cammie as she ran past them before she tackled a surprised member of the opposing team.

He sat back and grinned in a mixture of amusement and pride as Sam stood up and yelled as Cammie neared the goal, weaving her way around several players, "Keep going, Cammie!" The little girl tapped the ball with her foot into the open goal mouth, just missing the diving goalkeeper's fingertips, and Sam whooped with delight. "Nice work! You go girl!"

Daniel waved again at the triumphant little girl on the football pitch as she regrouped with James and some other children. "Well done, sweetie." He looked up at Sam who then sat down, flashing him a sheepish grin. He tilted his head towards her, remarking teasingly,

"So much for not being the overzealous soccer mom."

_  
_"_She'll be a mother and a child  
Sacrifice her days and nights  
And no other will exist  
She'll put her life in every kiss  
When a woman loves a man..._"

She retorted, grinning all the while, "I am not!"

"Hey... if I had a video of you at their hockey game last week... I think you would have shocked mini-Jack, and that guy has a terrible temper."

She said a little petulantly, "That kid deserved getting his head hit by that puck."

He rolled his eyes. "Sam..."

"Hey, he knocked Cammie over."

"And she knocked out his front teeth." He frowned as some nearby parents whooped at the goings-on on-pitch. "I'm not sure I want to encourage her already foul temper by having her play hockey. Whose idea was that anyway?"

She smiled at him sweetly. "Jack's."

He looked exasperated. "Figures." He then smiled bashfully, nudging her shoulder gently. "Our original duet are going to junior high in September."

They waved at James running past, and Sam replied with a proud grin, "Oh yeah." They kissed and then laughed when Greg squirmed and then pawed Daniel's chin. "Looks like someone's as jealous as Uncle Jack."

Daniel chuckled at the remark and then looked down at his baby son, asking with a soft smile, "What's up, little one?"

Greg began to cry and Daniel shushed him, bouncing him in his hold as he whispered, "Sshh, you'll appreciate it all better when you can sit on your own seat instead of bumming a lift off your old Daddy."

Daniel glanced at Sam and then looked at her again in mild puzzlement, noticing her small smile. "What?" He couldn't help but smile as he watched her look so happy.

She replied, amused that his characteristic obliviousness now appeared to have seeped into his parenting skills, "He's hungry."

He retorted, pouting, "So am I, but what would everyone else think if I sat here and bawled my eyes out?"__

"_And you'll be amazed at when you're stumbling  
She'll fight for you  
And won't let you give in  
She'll do all that she can  
When a woman loves a man..._"

She laughed and then whooped on seeing James with the ball before remarking as she rummaged in her bag, "Well, I for one am always prepared." She produced a bib, a jar of baby food, and a spoon as Dani almost immediately looked more alert on seeing her mother reach into the bag. Daniel remarked with a chuckle, noticing this,

"You're going to have to feed Dani now otherwise there's going to be a war."

"I thought as much." She handed the items to Daniel before continuing to rummage in her bag as Dani scowled impatiently. Daniel smiled as he took the opportunity to watch his wife for a moment, noticing how easy her actions were, how relaxed and happy she was, and just how he had almost lost her far too many times already. He struggled not to brood but then the darkness in his mind melted away when she straightened up as she fastened a bib around an eager Dani's neck, and flashed him a smile that lit up her face and told him that everything was okay. He couldn't help but grin as she nudged his knee with hers, and he went about getting Greg ready for an upcoming feeding.

He looked at Sam again on feeling something in his head and blinked in surprise to see her holding out a sandwich to him. He frowned and she shrugged, remarking with an impish grin as Dani impatiently patted the jar of baby food that Sam held in her other hand, "I figured a long time ago that the random bouts of hunger were a Jackson trait. Here, it's salmon and shrimp."

His smile widened as he accepted the sandwich, balancing the wrapped food item on his and Sam's adjacent thighs before going about feeding Greg. "If we weren't already married, I'd propose to you right now."

He continued to smile as he leaned over to kiss her. She retorted as she gave his knee an affectionate squeeze, "And if we weren't already married, I'd say 'yes'."

He grinned as he shrugged his shoulders as they both fed their babies. "Looks like we just got engaged for a second time."

"I think this time counts as hypothetical, seeing you didn't actually propose to me right now."__

"_A soothing breeze always blows  
Somebody understands another soul  
It's like the planets have aligned  
Every sentence has a rhyme  
When a woman loves a man..._"

He remarked teasingly, "Well, I got seven kids out of you... I'd have to be suicidal to marry you now."

She feigned a look of shock at the remark as he continued to grin, and she retorted, an eyebrow raised, the General smiling all the same, "Daniel Jackson... you are so sleeping on the couch tonight."

He lolled his head to his left to look at her, a teasing glimmer in his eyes. "You wouldn't be able to stay away from me... Not much of a punishment if I'm not alone _although..._" He raised his eyebrows at her and she nudged him with an elbow, pretending to look hurt at what he had teasingly implied. She then laughed and sighed happily. As she continued to feed Dani, stopping the baby from eagerly grabbing the spoon out of her hands, she remarked, looking happy,

"At least you're here."

He smiled back at her, looking pensive. "I know. It would have been nice to have Jake, Claire and Grace here though."

She hummed thoughtfully. "They enjoy swimming too much... and Cam and Vala love taking them to the Pool with Francis. We usually take turns going to the Pool and soccer, but these two had a game." She exhaled as she looked down at Dani with a small smile. "I was going to enrol the girls in a gym club, but I didn't think it a good idea in the end. I moved around quite a lot when I was a kid, but in nearly all the schools I attended, the girls who had done gymnastics from when they were Grace's age, were hideous. Competitive spirit is great but when you alienate people who you see as 'different', that kinda negates it all. The Horgan girls from the next block all go to the local club and you've seen them."

Daniel grimaced. "Ugh, yeah... To tell the truth, I'm glad they don't come round any more."

She laughed. "I shouldn't laugh... but I'm secretly glad that Cammie and Grace pushed Lucy and Amy Horgan in that big puddle in front of the Jones'. I had to ground them, but it stopped those evil little girls from making trouble."__

"_Oh, you'll be amazed how when  
You're needing it  
She'll fight for you  
From the beginning to the end  
And she'll do all that she can  
When a woman loves a man..._"

He hummed in agreement. "Well, at least we know that despite the fights that Cammie and James get into sometimes, and despite what Grace does to Francis, our little monsters will always look out for each other... as well as Francis when Grace isn't getting into a baby fight with him."

They chuckled and she wiped Dani's face with the bib as food bubbled out of the baby's mouth, Dani repeatedly throwing her arms down. Sam made sure Dani had finished the jar before replacing the lid. She put the jar and the spoon away and passed the bag over to Daniel so he could do the same as he finished feeding Greg, and she pulled out a bottle of milk from the bag. She cheered at the goings-on on-pitch before cradling Dani in her left arm and feeding her as the baby's eyes closed, her small hands reaching for the bottle.__

"_It's the greatest gift of all  
Knowing that unconditionally  
She'll catch you when you fall_

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Oooohh, yeah  
When a woman loves a man..."

As Daniel too began to feed Greg milk, he glanced over at Sam and then down at the sandwich that still rested on their thighs. "I'll only have it if you have some too."

She shook her head as she looked down at Dani, feeling awkward. "No, it's ok, thanks. It'll go straight to my hips."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. "Sam. Look at me."

She turned to look at him challengingly, and he said, his concerned yet defiant gaze unerring, "I don't care."

She raised an eyebrow. "It's ok for you..." She continued, aware of their public surroundings, "... you don't have to worry about your weight."

"You shouldn't either."

'_... I love you just the way you are. You'd say the same thing if I still had my baby weight._'

'_True, but you're a man._'

_'Nice to know you do notice that once in a while.' _He sighed. _'I mean it Sam. To me, you're the most beautiful woman in the universe. I don't care how much you weigh.' _He couldn't help but smile. _'And I like having more of you to play with.'_

She looked insecure and pensive as she tried to overcome her inhibitions, and he squeezed her hand, their hands resting on his knee. He gazed at her steadily. '_You always poke fun at me being insecure. I just want you to know that I love you no matter what you look like._' He smiled again._ 'So, wanna share?'_

"_When the stars are in her eyes  
And the sun is in her smile  
She'll be a mother and a child  
But all at the same time  
When a woman loves a man..._"

She smiled at him shakily, tears springing in her eyes. With Greg carefully balanced in his lap, the baby's back against his stomach, he continued to feed his son. Daniel slipped his left arm around Sam, resting his head against hers. He kissed her and whispered in her ear, "Fy Gwenhwyfar... I've always been able to share anything with you. Share this with me."__

"_She'll be your air,  
She'll bring you life  
She'll make me sacrifice  
When a woman loves a man..._"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam smiled lazily as she reclined in Daniel's arms on a grassy hillside. She rested her head back against his shoulder as he whispered words in her ear that resulted in the feeling of butterflies in her stomach, over and over again. In front of them, on a red and white chequered cloth spread on the grass, was the remnants of a family picnic. Some distance away, James was showing Jake how to take rubbings of tree bark as Cammie, Grace and Claire lie on their fronts, making daisy chains and colouring in pictures, Cammie occasionally reading from a book.

"_Some say love it is a river  
That drowns the tender reed.  
Some say love it is a razor  
That leaves your soul to bleed..._"

Sam murmured as Daniel nuzzled her throat and shoulder, "I wish we could have everyone here... but it's about time that Cam and Vala went on vacation."

He smiled against her neck. "Well, Vala was curious about Memphis after he kept singing about it... and I'll bet he keeps talking about it. That and North Carolina and Kansas."

She hummed and then chuckled. "He could never talk you under the table though."

He slid a finger slowly along her collarbone. "That remains to be seen."

She laughed. "Oh, come on, Daniel. You never stop talking when you're in a really good mood... or if Jack's slipped you booze when you've taken your allergy meds."

He frowned slightly. "So much for all this Ancient stuff. I still have my Appendectomy and C-section scars... and that's after Ascending... uh, three times now. And I still have my allergies."

"That's always confused me... even more so since your Myopia went after the last time you came back."

He continued to frown, and she asked, sensing something odd from him, "Daniel?"__

"_Some say love it is a hunger  
An endless, aching need  
I say love it is a flower,  
And you it's only seed..._"

"I think I want to sell the Jeep."

She grimaced a little, remembering how much work she had put into the vehicle in question over the years, and he continued, holding her tighter, "As you've said, it's cost more to fix it than I originally paid for it... and I rarely drive it now that we're usually driving the kids around." She turned to meet his troubled gaze. "But it's time to let go of the past. I'm nearly forty-nine... it's been forty-one years since... you-know-what..."

She stroked his arm, regret and worry in her eyes. "Daniel..."

He shook his head a little. "I'm never going to forget them... and I've always had them with me, every step of the way. And we have our babies." He kissed her. "It's time to close a chapter and open a new one."

She asked, worried as she gazed up at him, "But what about what you said about reminding yourself of who you are?"

He smiled as he kissed her. "I've got to stop being so insecure. I'm still me. I've changed so much over the years... done things..." His smile vanished, replaced by a deep frown. "... I'm not proud of." His frown faded. "... but I'm still me. I just grew up. I developed as a person." He rested his head against hers, and she smiled as she leaned back in his embrace once again. "And besides, whenever I forget who I am, I'll always have you to remind me."__

"_It's the heart afraid of breaking  
That never learns to dance  
It's the dream afraid of waking  
That never takes the chance..._"

Nothing was said during the moments that followed, and he then said with a grin, kissing her hair, "I feel old though."

She chuckled. "How come?"

"Cassie's getting married... and she wants me to give her away."

She closed her eyes with a little smile as she snuggled in his embrace. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, Daniel. I get the feeling you won't be thinking much about anything afterwards." She stroked his thigh slowly, and he smiled as he threaded his fingers through her hair slowly, holding some of it up to the light.

"I thought as much."__

"_It's the one who won't be taken,  
Who cannot seem to give  
And the soul afraid of dying  
That never learns to live..._"

"I love this. Just one of those rare moments when there's nothing to do... It's so easy to forget what the Jaffa and the Lucian Alliance are going through." She sighed with a worried frown about the current state of affairs within the Milky Way. "Well, at least it's getting better, I guess."

He frowned too, looking thoughtful as he continued to smooth her hair. "It was inevitable, really. We knew there was going to be a power vacuum of sorts after the Goa'uld and then the Ori came into the picture. I'm just surprised that it's taken this long to escalate... but it's looking much better now." He grimaced. "It's still touch and go while we wait for the Treaty to be ratified by the two parties and the Tok'ra... and of course, the Nox as a neutral party."

He sighed, raising his eyebrows briefly as he hugged her from behind. "I get the feeling though that they'll calm down eventually. Ideally, it would be better if the Alliance disbanded, but I'd rather not have Earth be the one to put that option on the table. There's already some distrust amongst the two main parties about our motives, without them having more grounds upon which to accuse us of trying to gain from it all." He kissed her hair. "They'll be okay though. Do you remember how the Jaffa and the Tok'ra were?"

She nodded, looking perturbed. "Oh yeah. That was bad." She groaned softly, relaxing again as she felt his fingers tap out a rhythm on her shoulder. "At least it's easier than it used to be." She tutted, looking annoyed. "I'm still not happy about the President going against my judgement like that. House shouldn't have gone to Atlantis." __

"_When the night has been too lonely  
And the road has been too long.  
And you think that love is only  
For the lucky and the strong..._"

His fingers inched under the collar of her shirt. "It doesn't matter, Sam. Sheppard's getting used to him, and Carson seems to have taken a shine to him. He'll be fine. You worry too much."

She groaned again and smiled slightly. "I can't help it." She chuckled and turned to kiss him. "Today's been great."

He returned her kiss. "Not as great as tonight's going to be."

She grinned at him, saying with a touch of bemusement, "Typical... you and I might be on leave, but when have we had an uninterrupted leave before?"

"Oh, all the more reason to take every opportunity we get." He tightened his arms around her once again, and she kissed his arm before they both watched five of their children play while the youngest Carter-Jacksons continued to sleep through the warm afternoon.

_  
_"_Just remember in the winter  
Far beneath the bitter snow  
Lies the seed that with the sun's love,  
In the spring, becomes the rose._"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favouriting and whatnot. It's been fantastic having so much support, especially taking into account how big this series is as well. It's also been terrific to know that there are more people reading this than I had initially thought. Sequel to come soon, hopefully – still taking votes on the poll at the top of my FF profile about possible plots and themes for the series._

_Thank you. _


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